Component mounting apparatus, service providing device and servicing method

ABSTRACT

A service receiving method for receiving a component library including component size necessary for mount production, by inputting, via a service receiver, to a service provider, mounted component data having the results of fabrication of non-defective products, through the communication system that includes the Internet and deriving, by the service receiver, the component library from a mounted component database provided in the service provider, the mounted component database containing the input mounted component data accumulated for each type of component.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/451,637 filed Jul. 10, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,142,939, in the namesof Satoshi NONAKA et al., which is the National Stage of PCT/JP02/00103,filed Jan. 10, 2002, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporatedby the reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to: a service receiving device forderiving a service from a production facility manufacturing supplier,the service being for realizing high-efficiency and high-qualityproduction of a production line where a plurality of productionfacilities including a component mounting apparatus are connected inorder of steps; a service providing device for providing a service froma manufacturer side that supplies the production facility; and a methodfor providing a service from the production facility manufacturingsupplier. The present invention also relates to a service receivingprogram for operating the service receiving device and a serviceproviding program for operating the service providing device.

2. Background Art

A large number of electronic appliances have been reduced in size aswell as in weight, while a circuit board constituting the electronicappliance has been more and more highly integrated and mounted at ahigher density. On such a circuit board, components are mounted by theabove-mentioned component mounting apparatus or component mounting line.

This component mounting line is a type of production line forautomatically mounting components on a circuit board. An example of theproduction line is constituted by: a board supplying device forsupplying circuit boards in a one-by-one manner; a cream solder printerfor printing a cream solder onto the circuit board; a cream solder printinspection machine for inspecting a state of the printed cream solder;an applicator for applying an adhesive for adhering components onto theboard; a high-speed placement machine for placing the components ontothe circuit board at high speed; a multifunctional placement machine forplacing various kinds of components including an odd-shaped componentonto the circuit board; a placed component inspection machine forinspecting a missing component or a positional offset of a component onthe circuit board after placement of the components; a reflow device formelting the cream solder so as to solder an electrode of the componentand a land on the circuit board to each other to obtain a mounted stateof the components; a visual inspection machine for visually inspecting astate of soldering, a placed state of the component or the like; and aboard housing device for housing the mounted circuit board therein. Aplurality of types of these production facilities are connected inseries to each other. Circuit boards sequentially pass through thesedevices in a one-by-one manner so as to achieve the mount production.

Moreover, depending on the kind of electronic component, equipment inother forms such as a component insertion machine for inserting a radiallead, an axial lead, or a jumper wire, a component mounting apparatusfor achieving the mounting with a joint between metals by friction,diffusion due to friction, or fusion can be used for fabricating acircuit board.

In component mounting apparatus manufacturers supplying a componentmounting apparatus or a component mounting line as described above, thedestination of delivery of a component mounting apparatus or a componentmounting line has been expanded not only on a domestic scale but also ona global scale. In this context, a conventional servicing status whilethe component mounting apparatus is running upon and after delivery tothe destination of delivery is as follows.

When a component mounting apparatus or a component mounting line is tobe delivered to the destination of delivery, an operation for installingthe component mounting line and an adjustment operation for setting upthe component mounting line are performed by an operator dispatched froma component mounting apparatus manufacturer. At this time, an instructordispatched from the component mounting apparatus manufacturer describesthe operation of the component mounting apparatus and offers thetraining for an operator of the apparatus at a factory of thedestination of delivery, with reference to an instruction manualdelivered along with the component mounting apparatus.

In a case where the component mounting apparatus is shut down due to atrouble, or quality defect of products, or the like occurs duringproduction in the component mounting line after its delivery, theoperator, who has received instructions for the operation and thetraining, analyses its cause at the factory of the destination ofdelivery so as to eliminate the trouble or the quality defect. In a casewhere the trouble or the quality defect still remains, the componentmounting apparatus manufacturer is requested to dispatch a serviceperson. The service person is asked to analyze the cause so as toeliminate the trouble or the quality defect of products.

Such a service will be specifically described, taking a componentmounting apparatus 450 illustrated in FIG. 67 as an example. Thecomponent mounting apparatus 450 includes: a data storage section 451for recording and storing operation information and error information ofthe component mounting apparatus for trouble recovery or maintenance; anoutput device 452 (a printer, a floppy disk drive, a display screen, orthe like) for outputting the information stored in the data storagesection 451; and a communication device 454 for outputting theinformation to an external personal computer 453 or the like. Moreover,as shown in FIG. 68, a service point 172 for repairing the troubleoccurring in the component mounting apparatus 450 and performingmaintenance for a customer factory 171 where the apparatus 450 isdelivered to be operated is provided on the manufacturer side.

When a trouble occurs on the customer side, the trouble isconventionally recovered as in an example of a procedure shown in a flowchart of FIG. 69. First, in a case where a trouble occurs in thecomponent mounting apparatus 450 present in the customer factory 171(Step S601), an operator on the customer side outputs the contents ofthe trouble occurrence, for example, the operation information and theerror information of the component mounting apparatus and the like,through the output device 452 of the component mounting apparatus 450(Step S602). The output information is communicated to the service point172 by using information transfer means such as a telephone, afacsimile, or the like (Step S603). Thereafter, a service person who hasreceived the communication at the service point 172 receives thecontents of the trouble (the operation information, the errorinformation, and the like of the component mounting apparatus) so as tocheck if all data necessary for analysis have been completed (StepS604). In a case where all data have not been completed, the serviceperson makes contact with the operator at the customer factory 171 againso as to collect the information. In a case where all data have beencompleted, the analysis is carried out (Step S605) so that the serviceperson visits the customer to recover the trouble (Step S606).

The operation of the component mounting apparatus has been significantlycomplicated in these days with the diversification of circuit boards orcomponents to be mounted and the corresponding sophistication ofcomponent mounting apparatuses. Accordingly, in spite of the service asdescribed above, shutdown due to a trouble or quality defect of productsis frequently caused by a faulty operation of the operator who operatesa component mounting apparatus.

Moreover, the operators at the destinations of delivery of componentmounting apparatuses have varied levels. From a global point of view, inparticular, the operators at the destinations of delivery of apparatuseshave infinitely varied levels for the respective zones of the world.Thus, the quality of component mount production is varied depending onthe level of the operator. As a result, it becomes difficult to ensurethe uniform quality over all factories at the destinations of delivery.

Particularly, it is difficult for the operator at the destination ofdelivery to learn know-how of component mounting, that is, to select acomponent mounting condition depending on the type of a circuit board ora component to be mounted. Nevertheless, the description of operation orthe training for an operator at the time of delivery of the apparatus isnormally made on the operation for a particular test circuit board. Inmany cases, the description or the training does not cover the learningof selection of a component mounting condition depending on the type ofa circuit board or a component to be mounted. Thus, it takesconsiderable time for an operator at the destination of delivery tolearn such know-how.

For example, an operator for operating the component mounting apparatus450 is required to create NC data which is necessary for the componentmounting apparatus to perform an operation for mounting components. Forcreation of such data, it is necessary to search and input a significantamount of information for an individual component to be mounted, as isillustrated in FIG. 23. Nonetheless, the utilization of a system forautomatically creating NC data from a component database has anadvantage in that it is no more necessary to perform any research andinput for a component which is once used and registered in the componentdatabase. However, there may sometimes be a trial and error processduring production to confirm if the input contents are really suitableor not. Moreover, the number of types of components to be mounted, usedin the component mount industry, is estimated to be 100,000 or more intotal. In the field of mounting such various kinds of components, thenumber of components to be newly mounted is hardly reduced in an actualcondition. Thus, the contents are likely to be misinput upon creation ofNC data. An error in the input contents leads to a trouble of acomponent mounting apparatus or quality defect of products. What isworse, as the workload of creating the NC data is increased to beenormous, there is an increased possibility that the misinput mightoccur.

In addition to this, the workload is similarly high in teaching ofcomponent recognition data, setting of a squeegee operating condition inscreen printing of a cream solder, setting of a heating temperatureprofile in a reflow device, and the like, which results in an increasedpossibility that the misinput might occur.

In a case where the shutdown of a component mounting apparatus caused bya trouble or quality defect of products occurs due to a faulty operationby the operator, the support is hardly provided in a timely manner undera servicing condition as conventional. In many cases, it is only afterthe analysis of the cause by a service person dispatched from acomponent mounting apparatus manufacturer that the cause of the troubleis proved to be a faulty operation. In some cases, it is even afterseveral days' stay of the service person at the mounting field forgrasping the phenomenon that the cause is found. Consequently, it takesseveral days to recover a component mounting line, resulting in aconsiderable amount of production loss or quality loss.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a componentmounting apparatus, a service providing device, and a servicing method,in which a component mounting apparatus side can receive or be providedwith a customer service related to production including the productivityand the quality maintenance from a manufacturer side supplying thecomponent mounting apparatus or a service person side through allcommunications including the Internet according to the needs so as tofacilitate the implementation of production.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above object, a component mounting apparatusaccording to the present invention is an apparatus for mounting acomponent on a circuit board, the apparatus including a communicationdevice which is connectable to the Internet line and is capable ofreceiving a service necessary for mount production through communicationvia the Internet line. Furthermore, the communication device: is usedfor monitoring an operating status of the component mounting apparatusby the service person side; notifies the contents of trouble occurrenceto the service person side so as to allow the reception of a service; isused for a remote operation during component mounting from the serviceperson side; is used to collect data for analysis of a trouble,including production mount data or device operation data accumulated inthe component mounting apparatus, by the service person side; or allowsa software for running the component mounting apparatus to be installed,or allows a component library for operating the component mountingapparatus or other services to be derived from the service person side.Moreover, the communication device derives a service from the serviceinformation database provided for the service person side, in which theservice information is accumulated.

A servicing method according to the present invention is for a componentmounting apparatus for mounting a component onto a circuit board,wherein the component mounting apparatus is connected to a serviceperson side for providing a service of the component mounting apparatusvia the Internet line, so that an operating status of the apparatus ismonitored by the service person side via the Internet line.

A service providing device according to the present invention is forproviding a service necessary for mount production, the device which isprovided for a supplier side or a service person side of a componentmounting apparatus including: a component supplying device for supplyinga component; and component holding means for holding the component fromthe component supplying device so as to mount the component onto acircuit board, or a component mounting line including the componentmounting apparatuses which are connected to each other, wherein theservice providing device includes: a transmitting/receiving section fortransmitting/receiving information to/from a service receiving deviceprovided for a user side for effectuating the mount production using thecomponent mounting apparatus or the component mounting line, viacommunication means including the Internet; and a control section usedfor derivation of a service by the service receiving device via thetransmitting/receiving section. Furthermore, the control section is usedfor derivation of the service data or a service software from theservice information database by the service receiving device via thetransmitting/receiving section, or for derivation of a service foranalyzing a problem arising in the component mounting apparatus or aservice for monitoring a production status.

A component mounting apparatus of the present invention includes a creamsolder printer for printing a cream solder on a circuit board so as tomount a component thereon. The component mounting apparatus includes: atransmitting/receiving section for transmitting/receiving information toa service providing device provided for a supplier or a service personside of the component mounting apparatus via communication meansincluding the Internet; an input section for inputting instructions forderiving a service; and a control section, in response to theinstructions from the input section, for performing control so as toderive a service necessary for printing of the cream solder from theservice providing device via the transmitting/receiving section.Furthermore, the control section allows the service person side toreceive a service for retrieving information related to characteristicsof various cream solders or a printing condition, or notifies theservice person side of a printing condition or a printing state orstatus which is selected to be practically used for printing of thecream solder by the cream solder printer so that the service personreceives a service, through the Internet line via thetransmitting/receiving section with the service person side who providesa service of the component mounting apparatus including the cream solderprinter.

A servicing method according to the present invention is a method forproviding a service of a component mounting apparatus including a creamsolder printer for printing a cream solder onto a circuit board, whereinthe servicing method allows the component mounting apparatus to deriveinformation related to cream solder printing from a service person sidewho provides a service of the component mounting apparatus via theInternet with the service person side.

A service providing device according to the present invention is forproviding a service necessary for cream solder printing, which isprovided for a provider or a service person side of a component mountingapparatus including a cream solder printer for printing a cream solderonto a circuit board so as to mount a component thereon, wherein theservice providing device includes a service information database, inwhich characteristic information of a cream solder, performanceinformation obtained by accumulating information related to a printingcondition, state or status which is selected to be practically used by auser side receiving the service from the service providing device or aprovider or a service person side of a component mounting line, and/orinformation which is rendered adequate by using at least one ofmonitoring, evaluation, a countermeasure, and improvement for theaccumulated information, is registered as data to be derived by theservice receiving device. In this case, for a printing conditiondatabase for registering the printing condition of the cream solderamong the service information databases, the control section can intendto converge the database while accumulating the evaluated performance ofthe printing condition as the needs.

The solder characteristic information includes a solder manufacturer, aproduct number, a particle size, a viscosity and other items. When thecontrol section fails to retrieve the data as a result of retrieval of aproduct number, the control section performs the retrieval by a particlesize and/or a viscosity. It is suitable that, in the retrieved soldercharacteristic information, characteristic information close to that ofa desired solder product number is treated as the result.

The printing condition database suitably includes: a new databasecontaining newly input data; and a basic database to be retrieved fromthe service receiving device, to which the transition is made when thedata registered in the new database is determined to be adequate orstable. It is suitable that even data related to the same solder productnumber, particle size and viscosity are separately accumulated in thenew database, so that the optimal data is selected from the accumulateddata to make the transition to the basic database.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description and the drawings. The featuresof the invention can be used alone or in combinations varied as much aspossible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a component mounting apparatusaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for connection from the component mountingapparatus to the Internet in the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for connection from the exterior via the Internetline to the component mounting apparatus in the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a general configuration view showing a customer servicingmethod and a device thereof according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a specific example of a monitoring state forthe component mounting apparatus through the Internet line from a remotelocation in the second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a processing in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a specific example of a state where trouble or errorinformation of the component mounting apparatus is notified to a remotelocation through the Internet line in the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a specific example of a state where the component mountingapparatus is operated from a remote location through the Internet linein the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a processing in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a specific example of a state where production result dataand device operation data stored in the component mounting apparatus arecollected from a remote location through the Internet line in the secondembodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a processing in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 shows a specific example of a state where a software in thecomponent mounting apparatus is updated through the Internet line in thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a processing in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a configuration view of a component mounting system in athird embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a general configuration view of a service system in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 16 is a general configuration view of another service system in thethird embodiment;

FIGS. 17A and 17B show a configuration of a main part of a cream solderprinter in the third embodiment, where FIG. 17A is a plan view and FIG.17B is a front view thereof;

FIG. 18A is a configuration view showing a main part of one type ofplacement machine in the third embodiment, and FIG. 18B is aconfiguration view showing a main part of another type of placementmachine in the third embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a control configuration view of a placement machine in thethird embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a control configuration view of a management device in thethird embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a memory configuration view of a data memory section of themanagement device in the third embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a configuration view of facility information in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 23 is a configuration view of NC data in the third embodiment;

FIG. 24 shows a WEB screen of a service receiving device in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 25 is a control configuration view of a service providing device inthe third embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a control configuration view of a service receiving device inthe third embodiment;

FIG. 27A is a data configuration view of a speed master in the thirdembodiment, and FIG. 27B is a data configuration view of a tactsimulation parameter in the third embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a configuration view of an operation quality information DBin the third embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a configuration view of a service information DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 30 is a configuration view of a contract DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 31 is a configuration view of a business information DB in thethird embodiment;

FIG. 32 is a configuration view of an instruction manual DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 33 is a configuration view of a mending part DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 34 is a configuration view of a virtual training DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 35 is a configuration view of a maintenance information DB in thethird embodiment;

FIG. 36 is a configuration view of a software DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 37 is a configuration view of a mounted component DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 38 is a configuration view of a mounting technique DB in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 39 is a configuration view of an optimization software DB in thethird embodiment;

FIG. 40 is a configuration view of a monitoring and analyzing softwareDB in the third embodiment;

FIG. 41 is a schematic data flow chart of the entire service system inthe third embodiment;

FIG. 42 is the first half of a flow chart showing a contract and aservice in the third embodiment;

FIG. 43 is the second half of the flow chart showing the contract andthe service in the third embodiment;

FIG. 44A is a flow chart showing an operation of graph display for aline operation rate transition analysis processing related to monitoringand analysis in the third embodiment, FIG. 44B is a flow chart showingan operation of graph display for a line mounting tact analysisprocessing related to monitoring and analysis in the third embodiment,and FIG. 44C is a flow chart showing an operation of graph display for asuction rate transition analysis processing related to monitoring andanalysis in the third embodiment;

FIG. 45 is a flow chart in the case where an operation rate indicatingan operation of monitoring and analysis is a target value or higher inthe third embodiment;

FIG. 46 is a flow chart in the case where the operation rate is lowerthan a target value in the third embodiment;

FIG. 47A is a view showing a display screen of line operation ratetransition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 47B is a viewshowing a display screen of line tact analysis corresponding to FIG.47A;

FIG. 48A is a view showing another display screen of line operation ratetransition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 48B is a viewshowing a display screen of line tact analysis corresponding to FIG.48A;

FIG. 49A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 49B is a viewshowing a display screen of line mounting tact analysis corresponding toFIG. 49A;

FIG. 50A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 50B is a viewshowing a display screen of line mounting tact analysis corresponding toFIG. 50A;

FIG. 51A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 51B is a viewshowing a display screen of shutdown time transition analysiscorresponding to FIG. 51A;

FIG. 52A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 52B is a viewshowing a display screen of component suction rate transition analysiscorresponding to FIG. 52A;

FIG. 53A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 53B is a viewshowing a display screen of line mounting tact analysis corresponding toFIG. 53A;

FIG. 54A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 54B is a viewshowing a display screen of shutdown time transition analysiscorresponding to FIG. 54A;

FIG. 55A is a view showing a further display screen of line operationrate transition analysis in the third embodiment, and FIG. 55B is a viewshowing a display screen of shutdown time transition analysiscorresponding to FIG. 55A;

FIG. 56 is a flow chart showing an optimization processing for aplacement machine alone in the third embodiment;

FIG. 57 is an image view showing the relation between the division of acomponent supplying device and the component mounting order in the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 58 is a flow chart showing an optimization processing for revisingthe optimization processing for the placement machine alone and thearrangement of common components in the third embodiment;

FIG. 59A is an image view showing the relation with a fixed mountingorder of the component supplying device in the third embodiment, andFIG. 59B is an image view showing the relation when the fixed mountingorder shown in FIG. 59A is replaced by a free mounting order;

FIG. 60A is a view showing an example of simulation of the arrangementof common components and a production tact in the third embodiment, andFIG. 60B is a view showing an example of simulation of type switchingtime corresponding to FIG. 60A;

FIG. 61A is a view showing an example of simulation of the arrangementof partially common components and a production tact in the thirdembodiment, and FIG. 61B is a view showing an example of simulation oftype switching time corresponding to FIG. 61A;

FIG. 62A is a view showing an example of simulation of the optimalarrangement of individual components and a production tact in the thirdembodiment, and FIG. 62B is a view showing an example of simulation oftype switching time corresponding to FIG. 62A;

FIG. 63 is a flow chart showing a component distribution correctionprocessing in the third embodiment;

FIG. 64 is a flow chart showing the optimization processing for theplacement machine alone and the component distribution correctionprocessing in the third embodiment;

FIG. 65 is a flow chart showing the placement machine unit optimizationprocessing for restraining the vibration of the component supplyingdevice in the third embodiment;

FIG. 66 is a flow chart showing an expanded optimization processing ofthe component supplying device in the third embodiment;

FIG. 67 is a block diagram showing a conventional component mountingapparatus;

FIG. 68 is a configuration view of a conventional customer servicingmethod and a device thereof;

FIG. 69 is a flow chart showing a conventional procedure of a troublerecovery method;

FIG. 70 is a configuration view showing an example of a soldercharacteristic DB relating to solder characteristics in cream solderinformation in the mounting technique DB in the third embodiment;

FIG. 71 is a configuration view showing an example of a printingcondition DB of a cream solder in the cream solder information in themounting technique DB in the third embodiment;

FIG. 72 is a menu screen for handling the cream solder information onthe service receiving device side in the third embodiment;

FIG. 73 is a flow chart showing a retrieval operation of the soldercharacteristic DB; and

FIG. 74 is a flow chart showing a procedure of creating the printingcondition DB.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be describedin detail with reference to the drawings for understanding of theinvention. The embodiments described below merely show representativespecific examples in the case of a component mounting apparatus formounting components such as an electronic component onto a circuit boardsuch as a printed board so as to fabricate an electronic circuit board,and therefore do not limit the recitation of the present inventionwithin the scope of claims.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed.

A component mounting apparatus 151 shown in FIG. 1 according to thefirst embodiment includes a communication device 152 that is connectableto the Internet line, and a group of softwares. The communication device152 is, for example, a computer; it may be an internal function of acontrol device 153 of a computer or the like for controlling anoperation of the component mounting apparatus 151 as in this embodiment,or may be dedicated equipment. The communication device 152 may be ahost computer for managing a plurality of component mounting apparatuses151, or may be a computer which can communicate with all the componentmounting apparatuses 151 in the entire factory. The group of softwaresincludes: a communication software 161, which runs on the communicationdevice 152 to be connected to the Internet line (for example, aprovider) for communication via the Internet; a browsing software 162,which runs on the communication device 152 to allow the consultation ofa website on the Internet; a server software 163, which runs on thecommunication device 152 so as to respond to a request throughcommunication via the Internet line; and an application software 164,which runs on the communication device 152 to perform the transmissionand the reception of information with the server software 163 so as totransmit data accumulated in a data storage section 154 to the Internetline or to update a software or the setting within the device. The groupof these softwares run in the communication device 152. Thecommunication device 152 is incorporated into the component mountingapparatus 151.

The control device 153 including the data storage section 154 controlsthe operation of an output device 155 including a display 155 a so as toinput and store operation data including a trouble or an error of thecomponent mounting apparatus 151, production result data, and the likeinto the data storage section 154. The control device can output data,which is input to or stored in the data storage section 154, to theexterior by the output device 155 so that the data can be used. Theoutput is performed by recording on a recording medium 168 a such as afloppy disk, printing on a recording chart 168 b, screen display on thedisplay 155 a, or the like. The output device 155 also outputscommunication data from the server software 163 in response to a requestvia the communication by the communication device 152.

A procedure of connection from the above-described component mountingapparatus 151 to the Internet line will be described with reference to aflow chart shown in FIG. 2. First, the communication software 161 forconnection to the Internet line is activated so as to establish aconnection to the Internet by means of a communication medium such as atelephone line 156 or a LAN 157 (Step S1). Next, the browsing software162 is activated so as to consult a website of a server connected on theInternet or to acquire data (Step S2). Naturally, for this dataacquisition, the security is intended to be ensured by ID management orthe like.

Next, a connection procedure from the exterior via the Internet line tothe component mounting apparatus 151 will be described with reference toa flow chart shown in FIG. 3. First, the communication software 161 isactivated so as to establish a connection to the Internet by means of acommunication medium such as the telephone line 156 or the LAN 157 (StepS11). When there is a request for consultation from the Internet, theserver software 163 receives the request (Step S12). Based on thecontents of the request, the server software 163 issues a request to theapplication software 164 (Step S13). The application software 164acquires data accumulated in the data storage section 154 (operationinformation, trouble or error information or the like of the componentmounting apparatus 151) (Step S14), and then transfers the acquired datavia the communication software 161 to a requestor (Step S15).

In this manner, the component mounting apparatus 151 is always capableof performing the communication via the Internet line so that a customerservice such as daily monitoring, regular check, recovery or maintenanceat the occurrence of a trouble, and updating of a software is receivedfrom the destination of communication. It does not take long time toreceive a service, and the cost is reduced because the cost resultingfrom a transfer of a service person and the cost resulting from adedicated line facility for each customer are not required. Thus, thisprocedure is particularly advantageous when a customer is remotelylocated from a service person.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed.

A customer servicing method and a device thereof according to the secondembodiment use, as shown in FIG. 4, the component mounting apparatus 151which is not particularly different from that shown in the firstembodiment, and, in addition to this, include a service point 172 of aservice person for offering a service to a customer. Regarding thecomponent mounting apparatus 151, the common parts are denoted by thesame reference numerals and the overlapping description thereof isomitted. The component mounting apparatus 151 is delivered to andinstalled in a customer factory 171. The communication device 152 isconnected to the Internet line via the telephone line 156, the LAN 157,or the like. The communication device 152 can be constituted as aninternal function of the control device 153 of the component mountingapparatus 151. The communication device may be the above-describedcomputer for managing a plurality of component mounting apparatuses, ormay be a computer which communicates with each of the component mountingapparatuses 151 in the customer factory so as to receive a service. Theservice point 172 is located at the position different from the customerfactory 171, for example, at a remote location. Within the service point172, a communication device 180 such as a computer, connected to theInternet via the telephone line 156, the LAN 157, or the like, isplaced. The communication device 180 may be an internal function of acomputer for performing customer management, or may be dedicatedequipment.

FIG. 5 shows a specific example of monitoring a state of the componentmounting apparatus 151 via the Internet line from a remote location atthe service point 172 shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 shows a processing flowthereof. In order to monitor the component mounting apparatus 151, inthe state where the communication devices 152 and 180 are both connectedto the Internet (Steps S21 and S22), a browsing software 162 a runningon the communication device 180 within the service point 172 and theserver software 163 running on the communication device 152 within thecomponent mounting apparatus 151 communicate with each other (Steps S23and S24). The server software 163 activates the application software 164(Step S25). The application software 164 passes the operationinformation held in the data storage section 154 of the componentmounting apparatus 151 to the server software 163 (Steps S26 and S27).Furthermore, the browsing software 162 a within the service point 172receives that information (Step S28), so that a service person canconsult the operation information of the component mounting apparatus151 in the customer factory 171 without leaving the service point 172.By automatically or manually repeating this processing, a state of thecomponent mounting apparatus 151 is monitored.

In this case, the operation information is information indicating anoperating status of the component mounting apparatus 151, and includes,for example, the total of an operation rate, operating time or shutdowntime, real time information indicating if the component mountingapparatus is currently in operation, under suspension, or in trouble,and the like.

FIG. 7 shows a specific example for notifying trouble or errorinformation of the component mounting apparatus 151 to the service point172 at a remote location via the Internet line. When an error such as atrouble occurs in the state where the communication devices 152 and 180are both being connected to the Internet, the component mountingapparatus 151 notifies the service point 172 of error information viathe Internet line by using communication means such as an electronicmail with an electronic mail software of the browsing software 162 a.

FIG. 8 shows a specific example of operating the component mountingapparatus 151 via the Internet line from a remote location at theservice point 172. FIG. 9 shows a processing flow thereof. In the statewhere the communication devices 152 and 180 are both connected to theInternet (Steps S31 and S32), in response to a request received by theserver software 163 (Steps S34 and S35), the application software 164 inthe component mounting apparatus 151 transmits information currentlydisplayed on a screen by the display 155 a of the component mountingapparatus 151, to the browsing software 162 a of the computer within theservice point 172 via the server software 163 (Steps S36 and S37). Theapplication software 164 also receives a screen operation (an operationof a mouse, an input through a keyboard, or the like) of the browsingsoftware 162 a on the communication device 180 side so as to display iton the display 155 a of the component mounting apparatus 151 (Steps S39and S40). As a result, a screen operation is performed on a display 180a of the computer serving as the communication device 180 in the servicepoint 172 so as to realize an operation, which is equivalent to a screenoperation on the display 155 a of the component mounting apparatus 151in the customer factory 171. In this manner, a recovery operation isperformed. Instead of or in addition to this operation, instructions foroperation can be issued so as to deal with an operation which is hard orimpossible to automatically perform.

FIG. 10 shows a specific example for collecting production result dataand device operation data of the component mounting apparatus 151accumulated in the data storage section 154 from a remote location atthe service point 172 via the Internet line. FIG. 11 shows a processingflow thereof. When a trouble occurs in the component mounting apparatus151 in the state where the communication devices 152 and 180 are bothconnected to the Internet (Steps S41 and S42), a service person at theservice point 172 activates the browsing software 162 a running on thecommunication device 180 in the service point 172. As a result, thebrowsing software 162 a running on the communication device 180 in theservice point 172 and the server software 163 in the component mountingapparatus 151 communicate with each other (Steps S43 and S44), so thatthe server software 163 activates the application software 164 (StepS45). The application software 164 passes the production result data andthe device operation data in the component mounting apparatus 151 to theserver software 163 (Steps S46 and S47). Furthermore, the browsingsoftware 162 a in the service point 172 receives that information (StepsS48). Thereby, a service person consults information necessary fortrouble analysis of the component mounting apparatus 151 at the customerfactory 171 without leaving the service point 172 so as to perform ananalysis operation with the analysis software 165 (Step S49). The resultof analysis is reflected into the component mounting apparatus 151 by aremote operation as indicated in the flow chart of FIG. 9 so as to beused for a recovery operation of a trouble or the like.

Herein, the production mount data is the totaled data such as the numberof produced circuit boards, the number of errors, and the like. Thedevice operation data is log information such as the contents and timeof error occurrence and the like during operation of the componentmounting apparatus 151. With these data, the cause of a trouble can beanalyzed.

FIG. 12 shows a specific example of updating a software in thecommunication device 152 included in the component mounting apparatus151 via the Internet line from a remote location at the service point172. In the communication device 180, a software of the componentmounting apparatus 151, a component library corresponding to data foreach component for operating the component mounting apparatus 151, aninstruction manual for operating the component mounting apparatus 151,and the like are accumulated in a service information database 26. FIG.13 shows a processing flow thereof. In the state where the communicationdevices 152 and 180 are both connected to the Internet (Steps S51 andS52), an operator in the customer factory 171 uses the browsing software162 in the communication device 152 included in the component mountingapparatus 151 to output a request for consultation to the communicationdevice 180 in the service point 172 (Step S53). The application software164 a, which is activated by the server software 163 a on the side ofthe communication device 180 receiving that request, acquires a list ofcorresponding softwares from the service information DB 26 (Steps S54 toS56). The acquired list is transferred to the browsing software 162 ofthe communication device 152 via the server software of thecommunication device 180, so that the operator at the customer factorycan consult it (Steps S57 and S58). In the case where there is asoftware of the updated version among the softwares relating to thecomponent mounting apparatus 151, the browsing software 162 in thecomponent mounting apparatus 151 and the server software 163 a in theservice point 172 are allowed to communicate with each other so as todownload and update the updated software, which is acquired from theservice information database 26 present on the communication device 180side in the service point 172, into the component mounting apparatus 151(Steps S59 to S64).

Besides the softwares of the component mounting apparatus 151, forexample, even the component library and the instruction manual can beacquired and consulted from the service information DB 26 of the servicepoint 172 in the same procedure as described above.

Although the implementation of at least one of the specific examplesshown in FIGS. 7, 8, 10, and 12 in the second embodiment described aboveis even effective, it is suitable to carry out all the specific exampleswith the device shown in FIG. 4.

Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed.

This embodiment relates to a service system for a component mountingsystem 120 as shown in FIG. 14, including a component mounting line 100and a management device 101 for receiving/transmitting informationfrom/to the component mounting line 100 so as to manage the componentmounting line 100. FIG. 15 shows the entire system configuration of aservice system 380 of this embodiment. This service system 380 shows anexample of the case where each factory of the destination of delivery ofa component mounting apparatus, which possesses the component mountingsystem 120, and the service receiving device 1 at the destinationcompany of delivery are connected to each other through a network 3,whereas the service receiving device 1 and the service providing device2 at a component mounting apparatus manufacturing supplier are connectedto each other through a network 60.

In FIG. 15, the service providing device 2 includes a serviceinformation database 26 (hereinafter, referred to as a serviceinformation DB). The service receiving device 1 at the destinationcompany of delivery fetches the service information from the serviceproviding device 2 via the network 60. With the fetched serviceinformation, the service providing device provides a service tocomponent mounting lines 100 a, 100 b, and 100 c of the respectivefactories A, B, C, and the like which are under the umbrella of thedestination company of delivery via the management device 101.

Herein, the network 60 may be any communication means including, forexample, the Internet as long as it is capable of performing thecommunication. However, the network is the Internet in this embodimentbecause the Internet is suitable for transmitting/receiving informationat high speed. Although similar communication means may be used as thenetwork 3, the intranet for connecting global points in the company isused in this embodiment. Although it is assumed that each of thefactories A, B, and C of the destination company of delivery is presentat each global point, it is not limited thereto; all factories may bepresent at domestic points.

The service providing device 2 may be placed at a location other than atthe component mounting apparatus manufacturing supplier or may be placedin a service provider for providing a service for the component mountingapparatus.

In this manner, for a user in any zone of the world, the same service isprovided to the service receiving device 1 provided for the user sidevia the network 60. As a result, regardless of the operational levellearned by the operator of the component mounting apparatus in eachzone, it is possible to provide a service which results from theaccumulation of know-how concerning the selection of a condition formounting a component depending on the type of a circuit board or acomponent to be mounted. Thereby, uniform high-efficiency andhigh-quality mount production is realized all over the world. Moreover,since a service is derived independently from the user side, the serviceis derived at any timing necessary for the user side. Thus, each userdoes not suffer from any damage caused by a delay in taking action tomaintain the efficiency of the mount production and the quality of theproducts.

The contents of disclosure of a service that the service receivingdevice 1 derives from the service providing device 2 vary depending onthe level of a contract that the destination company of delivery madewith the component mounting apparatus manufacturing supplier. If thelevel of a contract is low, only the latest instruction manualinformation and the inventory information of mending parts can bedisclosed so as to derive these information. However, as the level of acontract is elevated, the range of disclosure is expanded so as tosequentially cover the virtual training for offering the training via anetwork, information on component to be mounted, a mounting orderoptimization software, and the like. An adequate service which meets thelevel of a user is thereby provided. Moreover, a service to be providedfor each user is easily managed, and a service is prevented from beingneedlessly derived from a user who is not under contract.

It is desirable to determine the level of a contract depending on thelevel of an operator of the component mounting apparatus or thedifficulty level of a mounting technique used for production at afactory, and further on the demand of the destination of delivery. Inthis manner, an appropriate level of a contract is easily determinedfrom various points of view. Alternatively, the service providing device1 and an operator interact with each other in a dialogical manner, orthe service receiving device 1 or the service providing device 2automatically judges to allow an appropriate level of a contract to bedetermined. Based on this level of a contract, a user at the destinationof delivery is charged. The accounting is regularly made, for example,by the month. The accounting is regularly made, for example, by themonth in a collective manner depending on the level of a contract of aservice, instead of charging for each provided service. An accountingprocessing is facilitated both for a user and for a manufacturer.Moreover, for a user, there is not any more inconvenience that the usermight select an unnecessary service to be wrongly charged.

When the level of a contract is elevated, it is possible to provide aservice in which the service providing device 2 of the componentmounting apparatus manufacturing supplier monitors the quality and anoperating status of the component mounting line 100 via the network 60and further, when something wrong happens during monitoring, a servicefor giving feedback as a countermeasure against it.

In order to provide the above-mentioned monitoring service, as shown inFIG. 14, in the component mounting line 100 where the individualcomponent mounting apparatuses 105 to 111 are connected, facilityinformation such as an operation rate, shutdown time, type switchingtime, and the like, tact information such as a mounting tactcorresponding to time required for the mounting of one circuit board, atact loss, and the like, and further quality information such as thepresence/absence of a quality defect, the contents of a defect, and thelike of each of the component mounting apparatuses 105 to 111 arecollected to the management device 101 via a network 102. In FIG. 15,the management devices 101 a to 101 c of the respective factories A to Cwhich include the component mounting lines 100 a to 100 c shown in FIG.14, and the service receiving device 1 at the company, to which acomponent mounting apparatus is to be delivered, are connected to eachother via the network 3. The facility information, the tact information,and the quality information collected in the management devices 101 a to101 c are collected in the service receiving device 1, which are in turntransmitted to the service providing device 2 at the component mountingapparatus manufacturing supplier via the network 60. These facilityinformation, tact information, and quality information are converted soas to have a data structure that is easy to analyze for operation, andis then accumulated in an operation quality information database 51(hereinafter, referred to as an operation quality information DB)provided for the service providing device 2.

The service providing device 2 monitors if the operation rate, themounting tact, and the ratio of defective products reach their targets;if not, its factor is analyzed. If the factor of failing to reach thetargets is found as a result of factor analysis, a service foreliminating the factor is provided for the service receiving device 1.The service receiving device 1 feedbacks the provided service to thecomponent mounting lines 100 a to 100 c via the management devices 101 ato 101 c at the respective factories.

In this manner, when a trouble such as shutdown of the componentmounting apparatus, quality defect of products, or the like occurs atthe mounting factory of a user, a user side can derive the service foranalyzing the trouble to provide a solution at any time. Thus, it ispossible to minimize the reduction in production efficiency and inquality due to shutdown caused by a trouble. For example, the followinginefficiency as is conventionally found is remarkably improved; it isonly after several days' stay for analysis that a service person, who isdispatched from a manufacturer for analysis of a trouble caused by afaulty operation, can prove the cause to be a faulty operation.

Moreover, the user side can derive at any time a service for monitoringa production so as to analyze a problem if it arises. As a result, ifthere is a symptom that a trouble may arises, it is possible to sensethe symptom so as to avoid any trouble that may arise. Thereby, stablehigh-efficiency and high-quality production is carried on.

Although the network 102 is a LAN (Local Area Network) for wirelesslytransmitting/receiving information (hereinafter, referred to as awireless LAN) in this embodiment, the network is not limited thereto.However, with the wireless LAN, it is possible to flexibly respond to achange in layout of each of the component mounting apparatuses 151 ofthe component mounting line, without altering a cable wiring of thenetwork 102. As a result, it is possible to freely and actively promotethe construction of a new mounting line with the addition of the newcomponent mounting apparatus 151, which is capable of realizing theproduction with a higher tact and higher quality, without considering analteration in cable wiring due to layout change. Moreover, it ispossible to transmit the derived service information not only to thecomponent mounting apparatus 151 but also to a portable terminal such asa portable telephone, a PHS, or the like carried by an operator of thecomponent mounting apparatus 151. Accordingly, it is possible toencourage the operator of the component mounting apparatus 151 toreflect the received service into the production.

With the above structure, the service providing device 2 provides anecessary service to a factory at destination of delivery in accordancewith the level of a contract desired by the destination of delivery.With some contract levels, it is possible to simultaneously monitor andanalyze an operation or quality status at each mount factory in realtime by the service providing device 2. Then, the factor of loweringoperation and quality statuses is found, so that a service foreliminating the factor is provided in real time. Thus, it is possible tomanage the operating and quality statuses of all mounting factorieswhich are developed on the global scale in the same manner so as tomaintain high and uniform quality and production statuses.

Although the case where each factory at the destination of delivery ofcomponent mounting apparatuses and a component mounting apparatusmanufacturing supplier are connected via the network 3 is describedabove, it is not limited thereto. The service providing device 2 may bepresent in a specific factory among the respective factories for mountproduction so as to provide a service for the other factories via anetwork including the Internet. Moreover, although one management device101 is provided for one component mounting line 100, it is not limitedthereto. A single management device 101 may be provided for a pluralityof component mounting lines 100. Alternatively, a single managementdevice 101 is provided only for one component mounting apparatus.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 16, each component mounting apparatus maybe equipped with the service receiving device 1 described above as aninternal function in its control section 201 so as to receive a servicefrom the service providing device 2 via the network 60 from thecomponent mounting apparatus itself, depending on the level of acontract.

Moreover, although the component mounting line 100 constituted by thecomponent mounting apparatus 151 is described above, it is not limitedthereto. The component mounting line may be a production facility alonefor processing or assembling a product, or may be a production line inwhich the production facilities are connected to each other.

The outline of the third embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed above. Hereinafter, system configuration and operation will beindividually described in detail.

I. Configuration of the Component Mounting System 120

The component mounting system 120 is a production system for mounting acomponent onto a circuit board so as to carry out the mount productionof circuit boards. As shown in FIG. 14, the component mounting system120 is constituted by the management device 101, the wireless LAN 102serving as a network, and the component mounting line 100. The componentmounting line 100 includes: a supplying device 104; a cream solderprinter 105; a cream solder print inspection machine 106; an adhesiveapplicator 107; a high-speed placement machine 108 a; a multifunctionalplacement machine 108 b; a placed component inspection machine 109; areflow device 110; a visual inspection machine 111 and a housing device112.

The cream solder printer 105, the cream solder print inspection machine106, the adhesive applicator 107, the high-speed placement machine 108a, the multifunctional placement machine 108 b, the placed componentinspection machine 109, the reflow device 110, and the visual inspectionmachine 111 are connected to the management device 101 via the wirelessLAN 102.

Each of the high-speed placement machine 108 a and the multifunctionalplacement machine 108 b is a type of component mounting apparatus forsurface-mounting a chip component on a circuit board, and is alsoreferred to as a mounter or a placement machine. Although not describedin this embodiment, the component mounting apparatus includes acomponent insertion machine for inserting a lead of a component such asan axial component or a radial component into a lead insertion hole onthe circuit board. The component insertion machine is also referred toas an inserter, and sometimes inserts a jumper wire. The cream solderprinter 105, the cream solder print inspection machine 106, the adhesiveapplicator 107, the placed component inspection machine 109, the reflowdevice 110, the visual inspection machine 111, and the like, whichconstitute the component mounting line 100, are included in the categoryof component mounting apparatus in a broad sense. In this embodiment,these cream solder printer 105, cream solder print inspection machine106, adhesive applicator 107, placed component inspection machine 109,reflow device 110, visual inspection machine 111, and the like areincluded in the category of component mounting apparatus, unlessotherwise noted.

In a similar manner, the term “placement” is defined to denote thesurface mounting including the case where a metallic joint between anelectrode and a land is intended by using diffusion due to friction orfusion utilizing an ultrasonic wave so as to mount a chip component ontoa circuit board. The term “placement” is defined to be included in“mounting” for mounting a component onto a circuit board so as to form acircuit. Not only the term “placement” but also the phrase containing“placement” used in this embodiment below mean the surface mounting of achip component described above unless otherwise noted. On the otherhand, the signification of the term “mounting” and the phrase containing“mounting” is not limited to the meaning of “placement;” it is used toindicate the formation of a circuit in a broader concept which evenincludes “insertion,” “solder print,” “adhesive application,” and“various inspections,” unless otherwise noted.

The amount of time for mounting of a single circuit board by a componentmounting apparatus is defined as “mounting tact.” In the mounting tact,in particular, a standard value of the mounting tact in the case where acomponent mounting apparatus operates in accordance with itsspecifications without generating any tact loss is referred to as a“standard mounting tact”, and an actual value of a mounting tactdetected or collected from the component mounting apparatus is referredto as a “mounting tact actual value”.

(1) Supplying Device 104

The supplying device 104 stocks a plurality of circuit boards inadvance. No component is mounted on these circuit boards yet. Thesupplying device 104 supplies the circuit boards to the cream solderprinter 105 in a one-by-one manner.

(2) Cream Solder Printer 105

The cream solder printer 105 receives the circuit boards from thesupplying device 104 in a one-by-one manner, and prints a cream solderonto the received circuit board so as to provide the circuit board, onwhich the cream solder is printed, to the cream solder print inspectionmachine 106. Moreover, the cream solder printer 105 outputs facilityinformation relating to the print of the cream solder and the like tothe management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102. Furthermore, thecream solder printer 105 is capable of installing the NC data and thelike for indicating various conditions for printing by the cream solderprinter 105, from the management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102.

The cream solder printer 105 includes, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17Billustrating its main configuration: a stage 67 on which a circuit board10 is placed; a screen plate 66, which covers the circuit board 10 andhas an opening (not shown) in the form and at the position correspondingto those of a land on the circuit board 10; a squeegee 62 a held by asqueegee head 64 on the screen plate 66. The squeegee 62 a is driven bya squeegee driving part 65 via the squeegee head 64 to be moved in adirection indicated with an arrow in the drawing along the screen plate66. At this moment, the squeegee 62 a moves while pressing the creamsolder 68 supplied onto the screen plate 66 against the screen plate 66so that the cream solder is supplied through the opening providedthrough the screen plate 66 onto a land of the circuit board 10 forachieving the printing. The squeegee head 64 also holds another squeegee62 b which enables the printing when the squeegee head is moved in adirection opposite to that of the printing with the squeegee 62 a.

In this case, in order to maintain the quality in the cream solderprinter 105, it is necessary to set the NC data in consideration ofvarious conditions for cream solder printing. For example, it isnecessary to select a type, a temperature, and a viscosity of the creamsolder, in consideration of a material of the circuit board, a mountingdensity, and the like. Moreover, it is also necessary to set a travelingspeed of the squeegees 62 a and 62 b, depending on the type of thecircuit board 10 or the type of the cream solder 68. By appropriatelyselecting the above-described conditions, the cream solder is expandedin an excellent manner over the land of the circuit board 10 through theopening of the screen plate 66 so as to prevent the imperfect printingsuch as faintness or blur of the cream solder. Furthermore, it is alsoimportant to well separate the opening of the screen plate 66 and theprinted cream solder 68 from each other so as to avoid any crack of thecream solder 68 by controlling the speed of upwardly detaching thescreen plate 66 from the circuit board 10 after printing. If the creamsolder 68 is not separated from this opening, so that the accumulatedcream solder results in solder clogging on the opening, it is necessaryto additionally perform the cleaning so as to eliminate the solderclogging.

A mounting tact in the cream solder printer 105 is determined by timefor carrying in and out the circuit board 10 (loading time),attachment/removal time of the screen plate 66 on/from the circuit board10, a traveling speed of the squeegees 62 a and 62 b, and the like.

(3) Cream Solder Print Inspection Machine 106

The cream solder print inspection machine 106 receives the circuitboards 10 in a one-by-one manner from the cream solder printer 105 so asto inspect a state of the cream solder 68 printed on the receivedcircuit board 10. The cream solder print inspection machine 106 suppliesthe circuit board 10, which has undergone the inspection, to theapplicator 107 of an adhesive. The cream solder print inspection machinealso outputs facility information, information of the result ofinspection relating to the cream solder print inspection, and the liketo the management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102. Moreover, thecream solder print inspection machine 106 is capable of installing theNC data for indicating inspection data for inspection or the like fromthe management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102. The inspection datacontains the position of a land on which the cream solder 68 is to beprinted, a threshold value of inspection OK/NG, and the like.

At this point, the cream solder print inspection machine 106 picks up animage of the circuit board, on which the cream solder 68 is printed, andprocesses the obtained image so as to judge if the cream solder 68 isnormally printed. If the print is judged to be unsuccessful, the type ofa defect and the location on the board where the defect occurs areoutput. Examples of the contents of a defect include a print positionaloffset of the cream solder 68, faintness, blur, or overflow of the creamsolder 68, and the like. For the identification of a location on theboard, for example, the location is identified by a circuit numberassigned to each component to be mounted and an electrode numberassigned to each electrode of each mounted component.

A mounting tact in the cream solder print inspection machine 106 isdetermined by time for carrying in and out the circuit board 10 (loadingtime), time for picking up an image of the circuit board 10, time forprocessing and inspecting the data of the picked-up image of the circuitboard 10, and the like.

(4) Applicator 107 of Adhesive

The applicator 107 of an adhesive receives the circuit boards in aone-by-one manner from the cream solder print inspection machine 106 soas to apply an adhesive for placing a component onto the receivedcircuit board 10. Then, the applicator supplies the circuit board 10, onwhich the adhesive is applied, to the high-speed placement machine 108a. The applicator 107 also outputs facility information relating to theapplication of an adhesive and the like via the wireless LAN 102 to themanagement device 101. Moreover, the applicator 107 of an adhesive iscapable of installing the NC data for indicating the position ofapplication of an adhesive and various conditions for application of anadhesive, or the like from the management device 101 via the wirelessLAN 102.

The applicator 107 of an adhesive includes: a syringe which stores anadhesive therein; an application nozzle connected to the syringe, forapplying the adhesive pushed out from the syringe at an air pressure;and an XY table for positioning the position of application on thecircuit board below the application nozzle.

In order to maintain the quality in such an applicator 107 of anadhesive, it is necessary to set the NC data in consideration of variousconditions for applying an adhesive. For example, it is important toappropriately control the type, a temperature, a viscosity, and furthera pressure for application and application time of an adhesive so as toapply an adequate amount of an adhesive for adhering a component withoutcausing any stringiness. Moreover, the nozzle clogging must be preventedfrom occurring by controlling the above-described various conditions.

A mounting tact in the applicator 107 of an adhesive corresponds to timeneeded to apply an adhesive onto a single substrate, and is determinedby time for carrying in and out the circuit board 10 (loading time),time for applying an adhesive onto all the application pointscorresponding to the positions where the respective components are to bemounted, and the like. In this case, a mounting tact is limited to theapplication of an adhesive so as to be also referred to as an“application tact,” whereas a standard mounting tact is limited to theapplication of an adhesive so as to be also referred to as a “standardapplication tact.” A mounting tact actual value is limited to theapplication of an adhesive so as to be also referred to as an“application tact actual value.”

When the application tact (or the application tact actual value) exceedsthe standard application tact, the exceeded amount of the tact isreferred to as a “tact loss.” The tact loss includes, for example, amovement loss of the XY table 9. The standard application tact perapplication point is referred to as a “standard application tact perpoint,” the application tact per application point is referred to as an“application tact per point,” and the tact loss per application point isreferred to as a “tact loss per point.”

(5) High-Speed Placement Machine 108 a

The high-speed placement machine 108 a receives the circuit boards 10 ina one-by-one manner from the applicator 107 of an adhesive so as toplace a component on the received circuit board 10 at high speed, andthen supplies the circuit board 10, on which the component is placed, tothe multifunctional placement machine 108 b. Moreover, the high-speedplacement machine 108 a outputs facility information relating to theplacement of a component and the like to the management device 101 viathe wireless LAN 102. Furthermore, the high-speed placement machine 108a is capable of installing the NC data indicating the position where acomponent is to be placed and various conditions for placing a componentand the like from the management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102.

In the component mounting line 100, each of the high-speed placementmachine 108 a and the multifunctional placement machine 108 b is a typeof placement machine for placing a component onto the circuit board 10;the common parts thereof are denoted by the same reference numerals, andthe overlapping description thereof is herein omitted. The high-speedplacement machine 108 a is mainly designed to place a small chipcomponent onto the circuit board 10 at high speed, whereas themultifunctional placement machine 108 b is designed to place a greatvariety of types of chip component including an odd-shaped componentonto the circuit board 10. These placement machines are common in thatthey place the components onto the circuit board 10.

The high-speed placement machine 108 a includes, as shown in FIG. 18A, acomponent supplying section 11 having a plurality of component supplyingdevices 5 mounted onto a moving table 6, an XY table 9 for mounting thecircuit board 10 thereon so as to move and position the circuit board inXY directions for mounting a component, a rotational table 8 whichintermittently rotates, component suction nozzles 7 positioned atconstant pitches at the outer periphery of the rotational table 8, and aplacement head 4 for placing a component supplied from the componentsupplying section 11 at a predetermined position on the positionedcircuit board 10. Although not shown in detail in the drawing, a reeledcomponent housing tape for holding a plurality of components of the sametype at constant pitches is mounted on the component supplying device 5so as to supply the component. The component housing tape isintermittently fed by the component housing pitch so as to supply thecomponents in a one-by-one manner. The component supplying section 11loads a necessary number of the component supplying devices 5 onto themoving table 6 in accordance with the type of component to be placed.The moving table 6 moves in a direction indicated with an arrow 12 to bepositioned so that the component supplying device 5 capable of supplyinga component to be placed matches the component supplying position. Eachtime the component suction nozzles 7 of the placement head 4, which areat the position so as to fetch a component out of the componentsupplying device 5 positioned at the component supplying position, sucka component supplied from the component supplying device 5, therotational table 8 intermittently rotates by the arrangement pitch ofthe component suction nozzles 7 in a direction indicated with an arrow13. When the component suction nozzles 7 sucking the component arepositioned so as to be opposed to the location where the component issucked on the outer periphery of the rotational table 8 as a result ofthe successive intermittent rotation of the rotational table 8, thecomponent suction nozzles 7 place the component at the placementposition on the circuit board 10. The XY table 9 positions the circuitboard 10 so as to be aligned with the placement position of thecomponent placed by the component suction nozzles 7. The componentsupplying section 11, the XY table 9, the placement head 4, and the likedescribed above are controlled by the control section 201.

Although not illustrated, in intermittent rotation of the rotationaltable 8, a recognition section is provided for recognizing the suckedcomponent from a downward direction with a camera so as to detect thepositional offset of suction (the amount of a shift in X and Ydirections and the amount of rotational shift around an axis of thecomponent suction nozzle 7), at the rotation stop position in the courseof movement of the component suction nozzles 7 from the position wherethe component is fetched out from the component supplying device 5 tothe position where the component is placed onto the circuit board 10.The control section 201 controls the component suction nozzles 7 tocorrect the rotation around their axes so as to eliminate the amount ofa rotational shift detected by the recognition section, and to correctthe positioning of the XY table 9 so as to eliminate the positionaloffset amount in the X and Y directions, which is detected by therecognition device.

The component supplying device 5 is not limited to the tape feeder typedescribed above, and includes, for example, a tray-type one or astick-type one. The above-described tape feeder type one is also calleda parts cassette or a parts feeder.

Moreover, in the high-speed placement machine 108 a in theabove-described case, the placement head 4 is equipped with thecomponent suction nozzles 7 which serve to suck and hold a component.However, a chuck for grasping and holding a component may be usedinstead. In the component mounting apparatus other than the high-speedplacement machine 108 a, for example, in the multifunctional placementmachine 108 b described below, a chuck for grasping and holding acomponent is frequently used. Moreover, in the component insertingmachine, a chuck is used in the most of cases. These component suctionnozzles 7, chuck, and the like for holding a component from thecomponent supplying device 5 and mounting it onto the circuit board 10are collectively referred to as component holding means.

In the high-speed placement machine 108 a as shown in FIG. 18A, in orderto maintain the quality, it is necessary to set NC data in considerationof various conditions for placing a component. For example, it isnecessary to perform the setting in consideration of a placement speed(specifically, a rotational speed of the rotational table 8, and amoving speed and an acceleration of the XY table 9) depending on thekind, the size, the weight, and the like of a component. If a heavycomponent is intended to be placed at high speed, a suction positionalshift occurs due to inertia force of the component, resulting ininconveniences such as a positional offset in placement of thecomponent, a fall of the component from the component suction nozzles 7,and the like. Moreover, in order that the recognition section recognizesthe amount of a suction offset of the component, it is necessary toteach in advance the recognition data corresponding to image data of thecomponent at a normal position without any suction offset and topreselect a recognition algorism with which an image processing is to beperformed. Furthermore, in the case where the component supplying device5, the component suction nozzle 7, or the like becomes defective, ancomponent suction error is generated to lower an operation rate of theplacement machine. Therefore, the defective component supplying device 5or component suction nozzle 7 must be quickly replaced by the one forrepairs.

A mounting tact in the high-speed placement machine 108 a corresponds tothe amount of time needed for placing components onto a single circuitboard, and is determined based on time for carrying in and out thecircuit board 10 (loading time), time for placing all components at theplacement positions, and the like. In this case, a mounting tact islimited to the placement of components so as to be also referred to asan “placement tact,” whereas a standard mounting tact is limited to theplacement of components so as to be referred to as a “standard placementtact.” A mounting tact actual value is limited to the placement ofcomponents so as to be referred to as an “placement tact actual value.”

When the placement tact (or the placement tact actual value) exceeds thestandard placement tact, the exceeded amount of the tact is referred toas a “tact loss.” The tact loss includes, for example, a movement lossof the XY table 9 and a movement loss of the component supplying section11. The standard placement tact for each placement point is referred toas a “standard placement tact per point,” the placement tact for eachplacement point is referred to as an “placement tact per point,” and thetact loss for each placement point is referred to as a “tact loss perpoint.”

Moreover, in the high-speed placement machine 108 a as shown in FIG.18A, in order to achieve its initial object of placing a component athigh speed, that is, placing a component with a standard placement tactcorresponding to a tact enabling the placement in a standard manner, itis necessary to optimize the placement order of components and theposition where the component supplying device 5 is placed on the movingtable 6. For example, the amount of time needed for the rotational table8 of the placement head 4 to rotate by one pitch corresponds to thestandard placement tact per point. If the component supplying device 5is not positioned at the component supplying position during thestandard placement tact per point, a component cannot be placed with thestandard placement tact per point. Moreover, if the XY table 9 does notposition the circuit board 10 at the component placement position duringthe standard placement tact per point, a component cannot be placed withthe standard placement tact per point. For the positioning of each ofthe component supplying device 5 and the XY table 9, an allowablemovement range where the movement is permitted during the standardplacement tact per point is determined. The component placement orderand the position of the component supplying device 5 are optimized sothat the movement of the component supplying device 5 and the movementof the XY table 9 both fall within this allowable movement range.However, it is normally impossible to all components to be placed withthe standard placement tact per point. In this case, the optimization iseffected so as to minimize the tact loss corresponding to the amount ofexcess from the standard placement tact, even if it is impossible toperform the placement with the standard placement tact. This tact lossis ideally obtained by calculating a larger one of: time calculatedbased on the amount of excess in the amount of movement of the componentsupplying device 5 from the allowable movement range; and timecalculated based on the amount of excess in the amount of movement ofthe XY table 9.

Although two placement machines (that is, the high-speed placementmachine 108 a and the multifunctional placement machine 108 b ) areconnected in series in the component mounting line 100, a larger numberof placement machines may be connected in series.

Therefore, assuming that a plurality of placement machines are connectedin series in the component mounting line 100, the n-th placement machineamong a plurality of placement machines is indicated as a placementmachine n108. Hereinafter, the placement machine n108 will be describedinstead of describing the high-speed placement machine 108 a.

(5-1) Placement Machine n108

A control system of the placement machine n108 is constituted by, asshown in FIG. 19, the control section 201, a placement control section202, a placement section 203, a memory section 204, a recognitionsection 210, a transmitting/receiving section 205, an input section 206,a screen control section 207, and a display section 208.

The placement section 203 corresponds to the component supplying section11, the XY table 9 and the placement head 4 shown in FIG. 19 in thehigh-speed placement machine 108 a. The transmitting/receiving section205 is for performing the transmission and reception with the managementdevice 101, and includes an antenna capable of performing thetransmission and reception in the wireless LAN 102 in this example.However, it is not limited thereto, and may be a network adapterconnected through a cable.

(a) Memory Section 204

The memory section 204 stores the facility information 211 shown in FIG.22 and the NC data 220 shown in FIG. 23, and a control softwarenecessary for the control section to control the placement machine n108.

The facility information 211 is constituted by production managementinformation and cassette information (information relating to thecomponent supplying device 5, that is, the parts cassette), as shown inFIG. 22 as an example thereof. The production management informationincludes the expected number of products, the expected number ofcircuits, the number of products, . . . , the operation rate, thesuction rate and the like, whereas the cassette information includes ZNOcorresponding to a number indicating the position where the componentsupplying device 5 is located, the name of a component, the remainingnumber of components of the component supplying device 5, and the like.

In this case, the number of products corresponds to the number ofcircuit boards produced by the placement machine n108, the operationrate corresponds to a ratio of the amount of actual mounting time ofcomponents onto a circuit board to the total operation time of theplacement machine n108, and the suction rate corresponds to a ratio ofthe actual number of components sucked by the component suction nozzles7 to the total number of suction in the placement machine n108.

The NC data contains, as shown in FIG. 23, an NC program 221, anarrangement program 231, and a component library 241.

The NC program 221 is a program for specifying the kind and the positionof a component to be placed and the number of placement onto a singlecircuit board by the placement machine n108. More specifically, as shownin FIG. 23, a step No. indicates the order of placing a component; theplacement position (X, Y, W (placement angle), the circuit number), Z(anarrangement number of the component supplying device 5 for fetching outa component), and the name of a component are specified for each stepNo.

The arrangement program 231 corresponds to the NC program 221, andspecifies the name of a component and a shape code which are set in thecomponent supplying device 5 having the Z number specified with eachstep No. of the NC program 221. The shape code corresponds to a codeuniquely assigned to components having the same shape.

The component library 241 is constituted by detailed data relating toeach component, and stores information such as a shape (a length, awidth, a thickness, and the like), an placement condition (a head speed,an XY speed, a nozzle, a tool, and the like), recognition data (althoughnot shown in FIG. 23, contained in the component library) of a componentfor each shape code in the component arrangement program 231, and thelike.

Herein, the head speed corresponds to a speed at which the placementhead 4 intermittently rotates, in an example of the high-speed placementmachine 108 a of FIG. 18A, and is specified in accordance with the sizeof the component (for each shape code). For example, the placement head4 can be rotated at high speed with a microchip component such as a 1005chip component (a chip component having a length of 1 mm and a width of0.5 mm). However, if the placement head 4 does not rotate at low speedfor a large component such as an SOP component, a sucked componentcauses the suction positional offset due to inertia force. Similarly,the XY speed corresponds the traveling speed of the XY table 9, and thenozzle corresponds to a kind of the component suction nozzle 7 to beused and is specified for each shape code. Although only one kind ofcomponent suction nozzle 7 is placed at each position provided at aconstant pitch interval on the outer periphery of the rotational table 8in FIG. 18A for simplification, a plurality of component suction nozzles(for example, a small one, a medium-sized one, and a large one) selecteddepending on the kind of a component are actually provided at therespective positions. Moreover, the recognition data teaches theposition that the component suction nozzle 7 sucking a component shouldbe take in advance, which allows the recognition section 210 torecognize.

The control software is necessary to control the placement machine n108.The control section 201 controls the placement machine n108 inaccordance with the control software read from the memory section 204.For example, the control section 201 passes the control software to theplacement control section 202 so as to control the placement section203.

The NC data 220 or the control software can be installed from themanagement device 101 via the transmitting/receiving section 205.

(b) Placement Control Section 202

The placement control section 202 reads out the NC data 220 from thememory section 204 based on an instruction of the control section 201 sothat the control section 203 is controlled to sequentially place thecomponents in accordance with an instruction of the NC data 220.Moreover, the placement control section 202 receives information of theresult of placement from the placement section 203 so as to update eachinformation contained in the facility information 211 stored in thememory section 204.

The fundamental operation of the placement section 203, that is, theintermittent rotation and the component placement operation of theplacement head 4, the traveling operation of the component supplyingsection 11 and the positioning operation of the XY table 9 arecontrolled in accordance with the control software described above.

(c) Transmitting/Receiving Section 205

Upon reception of a request for uploading the facility information 211or the NC data 220 from the management device 101, thetransmitting/receiving section 205 outputs the received request to thecontrol section 201. In accordance with the instruction of the controlsection 201, the transmitting/receiving section 205 reads out thefacility information 211 or the NC data 220 stored in the memory section204 so as to transmit it to the management device 101.

The transmitting/receiving section 205 receives the NC data 220, whichis newly created from the management device 101 or is once uploaded tobe reoptimized at the higher order, so as to store the received NC data220 in the memory section 204 in accordance with an instruction of thecontrol section 201.

The transmitting/receiving section 205 receives the control softwarefrom the management device 101 so as to store it to the memory section204.

(d) Recognition Section 210

Although not shown in FIG. 18A, the recognition section 210 downwardlyrecognizes a sucked component with a camera so as to detect a suctionpositional offset (the amount of an offset in X and Y directions, theamount of a rotational offset about an axis of the component suctionnozzle 7). The control section 201 rotates the component suction nozzle7 about its axis for correction so as to eliminate the rotational offsetdetected by the recognition section 210. Moreover, the control section201 performs the control to correct the amount of positioning of the XYtable 9 so as to eliminate the amount of an offset in the X and Ydirections detected by the recognition section 210.

Moreover, for recognition, recognition data (contained in the NC data220), which is taught in advance, is stored in the memory section 204.When an actually placed component is to be recognized, theabove-described recognition data or a prespecified recognition algorism(contained in the control software) is read out from the memory section204 so as to perform a recognition processing.

(e) Control Section 201

The control section 201 controls the respective sections of theplacement machine, and instructs the placement control section 202, thetransmitting/receiving section 205, and the like as described above tocontrol so as to upload the facility information 211 and the NC data 220and to download the NC data 220.

The control section 201 receives an instruction order by an operatorfrom the input section 206 so as to perform a processing in accordancewith the received instruction order. The control section 201 alsooutputs an instruction order and the contents of display relating toscreen display to the screen control section 207.

(5-2) Component Mounting Apparatus k

A k-th component mounting apparatus among a plurality of the respectivecomponent mounting apparatuses including the placement machine connectedwith each other is denoted as a component mounting apparatus k. Thecomponent mounting apparatus k is more broadly interpreted, and it isapparent that the placement machine n108 is included in the componentmounting apparatus k.

Although not shown in the drawing, a configuration of a control systemof the component mounting apparatus k is similar to that of the controlsystem of the placement machine n108. For example, the control system ofthe component mounting apparatus k includes the control section 201, thememory section 204, the recognition section 210, thetransmitting/receiving section 205, the input section 206, the screencontrol section 207, and the display section 208. In addition, anoperation control section for controlling the original operation of thecomponent mounting apparatus k, which corresponds to the placementcontrol section 202 of the placement machine n108, is included. Theoperation control section controls, for example, an operation forinserting a component into a circuit board if it concerns the componentinsertion machine, and an operation for printing a cream solder onto acircuit board if it concerns the cream solder printer 105.

The memory section 204 stores the facility information 211 similar tothat shown in FIG. 22, the NC data similar to that shown in FIG. 23, anda control software necessary for the control section 201 to control thecomponent mounting apparatus k.

The facility information 211 has the common items from the uppermostitem to the operation rate in production management information in FIG.22 over the types of the component mounting apparatus k. Although theother production management information and cassette information can bedirectly used in the component insertion machine, there is particularinformation in the cream solder printer 105, the adhesive applicator107, the reflow device 110, or various inspection machines,respectively.

The NC data 220 is almost common to various component mountingapparatuses k for the component library 241. The NC program 221 and thearrangement program 231 can be directly used in the component insertionmachine. The NC programs 221 can be directly used in the adhesiveapplicator 107 and various inspection machines. For each of the creamsolder printer 105 and the reflow device 110, the NC program 221 havinga particular format for indicating each particular operation is present.

The transmitting/receiving section 205 serves to perform thetransmission and the reception with the management device 101, andincludes an antenna enabling the transmission and the reception via thewireless LAN 102 in this embodiment. However, the transmitting/receivingsection is not limited thereto; it may be a network connected through acable thereto.

(6) Multifunctional Placement Machine 108 b

The multifunctional placement machine 108 b receives the circuit board10 in a one-by-one manner from the high-speed placement machine 108 a toplace components onto the received circuit board 10 so as to supply thecircuit board 10 having the components placed thereon to the placedcomponent inspection machine 109. Moreover, the multifunctionalplacement machine 108 b outputs the facility information relating to theplacement of components and the like to the management device 101 viathe wireless LAN 102. Furthermore, the multifunctional placement machine108 b can install the NC data 220 indicating the position where acomponent is to be mounted and various conditions for placing acomponent, and the like from the management device 101 via the wirelessLAN 102.

The multifunctional placement machine 108 b places a great variety ofkinds of chip components including an odd-shaped component onto thecircuit board 10 as described above.

The configuration of the multifunctional placement machine 108 b isshown in FIG. 18B. In FIG. 18B, the reference numeral 5 denotestray-type component supplying devices. Although only one tray is shownin the drawing for simplification, in actual, a plurality of trays arehoused within the tray housing device in accordance with the kind of acomponent so that a necessary tray is drawn out to supply a component.Moreover, it is possible to mount a parts cassette as that used in FIG.18A onto the multifunctional placement machine as the componentsupplying device 5. The reference numeral 10 denotes the circuit boardwhich is fixed at a predetermined position. The reference numeral 4denotes the placement head; in the example shown in FIG. 18B, themultifunctional placement machine 108 b has two placement heads. Thereference numeral 7 denotes the component suction nozzles, which areprovided for the respective placement heads. The reference numeral 14denotes an XY robot for positioning the positions of the componentsuction nozzles 7 to the component suction position of the componentsupplying device 5 and the placement position of the circuit board 10and for moving the component suction nozzles 7 between two positions.The reference numeral 15 denotes a component sucked onto the componentsuction nozzles 7 so as to be mounted onto the circuit board 10. Thereference numeral 201 denotes the control section for controlling the XYrobot 14 and the like. The multifunctional placement machine 108 bincludes the recognition section 210 for recognizing the component 15sucked onto the component suction nozzle 7 with a camera from a downwarddirection so as to detect a suction positional offset. The XY robot 14is driven to move the placement head 4 above the recognition section 210after the placement head 4 sucks the component 15 from the componentsupplying device 5. At this position, the recognition section 210recognizes the component 15 so as to detect a suction offset.Thereafter, the XY robot 14 is driven to move the placement head 4 tothe placement position for placing the component 15 after the placementhead 4 performs the correction so as to eliminate the suction offsetdetected by the recognition section 210.

Herein, in order to maintain the quality in the multifunctionalplacement machine as that shown in FIG. 18B, it is necessary to considervarious conditions for placing a component such as a placement speed ofa component, as in the high-speed placement machine 108 a.

A mounting tact in the multifunctional placement machine 108 bcorresponds to the amount of time necessary to place components onto asingle circuit board, and is determined based on time for carrying inand out the circuit board 10 (loading time), time for placing allcomponents at the placement positions and the like. In this case, themounting tact is limited to component placement so as to be alsoreferred to as a “placement tact,” whereas the standard mounting tact islimited to component placement so as to be also referred to as a“standard placement tact.” Moreover, the mounting tact actual value islimited to component placement so as to be also referred to as“placement tact actual value.”

When the placement tact (or the placement tact actual value) exceeds thestandard placement tact, the exceeded amount of the tact is referred toas a “tact loss.” The tact loss includes, for example, a movement lossof the placement heads 4 and the amount of time for replacing thecomponent suction nozzles 7. The standard placement tact for eachplacement point is referred to as a “standard placement tact per point,”the placement tact for each placement point is referred to as a“placement tact per point,” and the tact loss for each placement pointis referred to as a “tact loss per point.”

In the multifunctional placement machine 108 b having the configurationas described above, the placement tact per point is determined based ona traveling distance of one cycle, in which, after the placement heads 4move to the component supplying device 5 to suck the component, theplacement heads move to the placement position. In the case where thetraveling distance falls within a predetermined range, the placement canbe achieved with the standard placement tact per point. However, in thecase where the traveling distance exceeds the predetermined range, theplacement with the standard placement tact per point is failed to beachieved with the placement tact per point including the tact loss.Therefore, in the case of the multifunctional placement machine, the keypoint for optimization is to minimize a distance between the placementposition and the position of the component supplying device 5. Moreover,in the case where a plurality of the placement heads 4 are mounted ontothe XY robot 14 as shown in FIG. 18B, the simultaneous or successivesuction of components with the plurality of the suction heads 4 from thecomponent supplying device 5 is the key point for reduction of a tact.Moreover, although not illustrated, it is necessary to replace thecomponent suction nozzles 7 in accordance with the kind of a component.If the replacement is performed, a tact loss is generated. Therefore,the minimization of the number of replacement of the component suctionnozzles 7 is also the key point for optimization.

Since the configuration of a control system of the multifunctionalplacement machine 108 b is similar to that of the placement machine n108described above, the description thereof is herein omitted.

(7) Placed Component Inspection Machine 109

The placed component inspection machine 109 receives the circuit board10 from the multifunctional placement machine 108 b in a one-by-onemanner to inspect a missing component or a positional offset of thecomponent on the received circuit board 10 so as to supply the circuitboard 10 which has undergone the inspection to the reflow device 110.The placed component inspection machine 109 also outputs the facilityinformation relating to placed component inspection, information of theresult of inspection, and the like to the management device 101 via thewireless LAN 102. Moreover, the placed component inspection machine 109can install the NC data 220 indicating inspection data used by theplaced component inspection machine 109 for inspection and the like fromthe management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102. The inspection datacontains the position where a component is placed, a threshold value ofinspection OK/NG, and the like.

The contents of an output of the placed component inspection machine 109correspond to the result of judgment if each component is normallyplaced, and the specification of the position of a component judged asdefectively placed and the contents of the defect. The position of acomponent is specified by, for example, a circuit number assigned toeach component to be placed.

The mounting tact in the placed component inspection machine 109 isdetermined based on time for carrying in and out the circuit board 10(loading time), time for picking up an image of the circuit board 10,time for processing and inspecting image data obtained by the picked-upimage of the circuit board 10, and the like.

(8) Reflow Device 110

The reflow device 110 receives the circuit board 10 from the placedcomponent inspection machine 109 in a one-by-one manner and then melts acream solder for the received circuit board 10 so as to solder anelectrode of a component and a land on the circuit board 10 with eachother. The reflow device 110 supplies the soldered circuit board 10 tothe visual inspection machine 111. The reflow device 110 also outputsthe facility information relating to the reflow to the management device101 via the wireless LAN 102. Moreover, the reflow device 110 caninstall the NC data 220 (also including a temperature profile) forindicating various conditions under which the reflow device 110 conductsthe soldering, from the management device 101 via the wireless LAN 102.

The reflow device 110 conveys the circuit board 10 to be solderedthrough a reflow furnace to melt a cream solder so as to solder anelectrode of a component and a land on the circuit board 10 with eachother. In order to maintain the quality in such a reflow device 110, itis necessary to consider various conditions for conducting the reflowsoldering. For example, a temperature profile in the reflow furnace mustbe appropriately set depending on the kind of the circuit board 10, thekind of a mounted component, the kind of a cream solder, and the like.The control of an atmosphere or air blasting within the reflow furnaceis a condition which is required to be taken into consideration.

A mounting tact in the reflow device 110 is determined based on time forconveying the circuit board 10 through the reflow device 110 and thelike.

(9) Visual Inspection Machine 111

The visual inspection machine 111 receives the circuit board 10 from thereflow device 110 in a one-by-one manner so as to visually inspect astate of soldering, a state of a mounted component, and the like for thereceived circuit board 10. The visual inspection machine 111 suppliesthe non-defective circuit board 10, which has undergone the inspection,to the housing device 112. The visual inspection machine 111 outputs thefacility information 211 relating to the visual inspection, informationof the result of inspection, and the like to the management device 101via the wireless LAN 102. Moreover, the visual inspection machine 111can install the NC data 220 indicating inspection data for inspection bythe visual inspection machine 111 from the management device 101 via thewireless LAN 102. The inspection data includes a component mountingposition, a threshold value of inspection OK/NG, and the like.

The contents of an output of the visual inspection machine 111correspond to the result of judgment if each component is normallyplaced and the specification of the positions of a component judged asdefectively placed and its electrode, and the contents of the defect.The position of a component is specified by, for example, a circuitnumber assigned to each component to be placed. The position of anelectrode is specified by an electrode number assigned to each electrodeof a component. As examples of a soldering defect, a positional offsetof a component, a missing component, unsuccessful connection of asolder, a solder bridge, and the like can be cited.

A mounting tact in the visual inspection machine 111 is determined basedon time for carrying in and out the circuit board 10 (loading time),time for picking up an image of the circuit board 10, time forprocessing and inspecting image data obtained by the picked-up image ofthe circuit board 10, and the like.

(10) Housing Device 112

The housing device 112 receives the circuit board from the visualinspection machine 111 in a one-by-one manner so as to house thereceived circuit board 10 therein.

(11) Management Device 101

The management device 101 is constituted by, as shown in FIG. 20, acomponent mounting apparatus side transmitting/receiving section 401, aservice receiving device side transmitting/receiving section 406, acontrol section 402, a data storage section 403, an input section 404,and a display section 405.

The component mounting apparatus side transmitting/receiving section 401includes an antenna so as to be capable of performing the transmissionand the reception with each component mounting apparatus k via thewireless LAN 102. The service receiving device sidetransmitting/receiving section 406 is capable of performing thetransmission and the reception with the service receiving device 1 viathe network 3.

(a) Data Storage Section 403

The data storage section 403 stores the facility information 211 of eachcomponent mounting apparatus k, inspection result information 212 ofeach inspection machine, mounting tact information 213 of each componentmounting apparatus k, the NC data 220 of each component mountingapparatus k, service data 215, a service program 216, and deliveryresult information 217. Each of the facility information 211, theinspection result information 212, and the mounting tact information 213is result information uploaded from each component mounting apparatus kand is stored for each component mounting apparatus k. The NC data 220is to be downloaded to each component mounting apparatus k or isuploaded from each component mounting apparatus, and is stored for eachcomponent mounting apparatus k.

The service data 215 and the service program 216 serve as the specificcontents of service information derived from the service providingdevice 2 by the service receiving device 1. The information transmittedfrom the service receiving device 1 is stored. Herein, as the servicedata 215, there are business information, instruction manualinformation, maintenance information, and the like. The service data 215is for providing a service to a user of various component mountingapparatuses. As the service program 216, there are a virtual trainingsoftware, an optimization software, and the like. The service program216 is executed to provide a service.

The delivery result information 217 represents the result of delivery ofa component mounting apparatus, and includes, for example, the type of adelivered machine, the number thereof, and the like. The delivery resultinformation 217 is collected to the service providing device 2 via theservice receiving device, and is used so as to provide the service data215 and the service program 216.

(b) Component Mounting Apparatus Side Transmitting/Receiving Device 401

In the case of the reception of an upload instruction of the facilityinformation 211 and the NC data 220 from the control section 402, thecomponent mounting apparatus side transmitting/receiving device 401uploads the facility information 211 and the NC data 220 for allcomponent mounting apparatuses k via the wireless LAN 102 so as to writethe received facility information 211 and the NC data 220 into the datastorage section 403.

The component mounting apparatus side transmitting/receiving section 401receives the NC data 220 to be downloaded into the component mountingapparatus k from the control section 402 so as to transmit it to thecomponent mounting apparatus k via the wireless LAN 102.

(c) Service Receiving Device Side Transmitting/Receiving Section 406

The service receiving device side transmitting/receiving section 406transmits the facility information 211, the inspection resultinformation 212, the mounting tact information 213, the delivery resultinformation 217, and the NC data 220 to the service receiving device 1in accordance with the upload from the service receiving device 1.

The service receiving device side transmitting/receiving section 406also receives the NC data 220, the service data 215, and the serviceprogram 216 which are downloaded from the service receiving device 1.

(d) Control Section 402

The control section 402 automatically judges the timing for uploadingthe facility information 211, the inspection result information 212, andthe NC data 220 or instructs the component mounting apparatus sidetransmitting/receiving device 401 to upload the facility information211, the inspection result information 212, and the NC data 220 byjudgment of an operator. Then, the control section 402 receives thefacility information 211, the inspection result information 212, and theNC data 220 for each of the component mounting apparatuses k from thecomponent mounting apparatus side transmitting/receiving device 401 sothat the data storage section 403 stores them for each of the componentmounting apparatuses k. The timing for automatically uploading thefacility information 211 is set in a regular manner, for example, oncefor 10 minutes. Moreover, the upload of the NC data 220 can be issuedwhile specifying a specific component mounting apparatus k.

The control section 402 reads out the NC data 220 for each of thecomponent mounting apparatuses k stored in the data storage section 403by automatically judging the timing or by judgment of an operator. Thecontrol section 402 outputs to the component mounting apparatus sidetransmitting/receiving section 401 so as to download the readout NC data220 of the component mounting apparatus k. The timing for automaticallydownloading the NC data 220 is, for example, prior to production of acircuit board of the corresponding type.

The control section 402 calculates a mounting tact actual value byautomatically judging the timing or by judgment of an operator. Themounting tact actual value is contained in the mounting tact information213, and corresponds to actual time taken by each of the componentmounting apparatuses k to fabricate one circuit board. In the case ofthe high-speed placement machine 108 a and the multifunctional placementmachine 108 b, in particular, the mounting tact actual value correspondsto actual time for placing components onto one circuit board.

In order to calculate the mounting tact actual value, the facilityinformation 211, which is uploaded in a fixed cycle described above, isused. The result of subtraction of the sum of the P plate (printedsubstrate, i.e., circuit board) waiting time, the maintenance time, thetrouble shutdown time, and the component stockout shutdown time from theamount of elapsed time from the previous upload time point is divided bythe number of fabricated boards during that period so as to obtain anactual value of a mounting tact. A mean value of a plurality of actualvalues of the mounting tact is output as a mounting tact actual value.

The control section 402 writes and updates the mounting tact actualvalue calculated in the above-described manner in a region of themounting tact information 213 of the data storage section 403. Thetiming for automatically calculating the mounting tact actual value is,for example, at the beginning of fabrication of a circuit board of thecorresponding type.

Although an example where the mounting tact actual value is calculatedin the management device 101 based on the facility information 211collected from the component mounting apparatus k has been presented, itis not limited thereto. In the component mounting apparatus k, time formounting one circuit board may be detected so as to be stored as themounting tact actual value which may be a value to be uploaded by themanagement device 101 along with the facility information 211 and thelike.

In response to an input from the input section 404 by an operator, thecontrol section 402 creates the delivery result information 217 so as tostore it to the data storage section 403. However, a method of creatingthe delivery result information 217 is not limited thereto.Alternatively, then the component mounting apparatus k is delivered to afactory so as to be connected to the management device 101 via thewireless LAN 102, the control section 402 receives a signal from theconnected component mounting apparatus k so as to detect the delivery ofthe new component mounting apparatus k, thereby creating the deliveryresult information 217.

In response to an instruction of upload from the service receivingdevice 1 via the service receiving device side transmitting/receivingsection 406, the control section 402 reads out the facility information211, the inspection result information 212, the mounting tactinformation 213, the delivery result information 217, and the NC data220 from the data storage section 403 so as to transmit them to theservice receiving device 1 via the service receiving device sidetransmitting/receiving section 406.

The control section 402 also receives the download of the NC data 220,the service data 215, and the service program 216 from the servicereceiving device 1 via the service receiving device sidetransmitting/receiving section 406.

Moreover, the control section 402 receives an instruction order from theinput section 404 by an operator so as to create screen data based onthe received instruction order. The control section 402 outputs thecreated screen data to the display section 405.

II. Configurations of the Service Receiving Device 1 and the ServiceProviding Device 2

The service receiving device 1 is placed at the destination of deliveryof a component mounting apparatus, and is a device for deriving aservice relating to the mounting from the service providing device 2 ata manufacturer supplying a component mounting apparatus via the network60 including the Internet.

(1) Functions of the Service Receiving Device 1

The service receiving device 1 sets up a WEB screen on the displaysection 25 as an example of a selection screen as shown in FIG. 24. Bypushing on a menu displayed on the WEB screen, a service desired to beprovided can be selected. The service receiving device 1 retrieves andderives corresponding service data and service program from the serviceinformation DB 26 of the service providing device 2 for a servicecorresponding to the menu selected by an operator. The derived servicedata 215 and service program 216 can be confirmed on a screen of theservice receiving device 1, and further can be transferred to themanagement device 101 of each factory.

Hereinafter, each service to be provided will be described.

(1-1) Provision of a Service in Accordance with a Contract Level

The contents of disclosure of a service derived by the service receivingdevice 1 from the service providing device 2 vary depending on a levelof a contract that a destination company of delivery has made with amanufacturer supplying a component mounting apparatus. As the level of acontract is elevated, the range of disclosure is expanded to a serviceof a higher level. It is desirable to determine the level of a contractdepending on the level of an operator of the component mountingapparatus k or the difficulty level of a mounting technique used infabrication at a facility, and further on demand of the destination ofdelivery.

When a “contract” menu is selected on the WEB screen on the displaysection 25 shown in FIG. 24, the level of a contract can be selected.The drawing shows a state of an initial level of a contract, andtherefore only the menus for “business information,” “electronicinstruction manual,” and “mending parts” can be selected. The othermenus indicated with broken lines in the drawing cannot be selectedunless the level of a contract is elevated.

(1-2) Business Information

New product information can be obtained. The latest union catalog, acatalog for each type of the respective component mounting apparatusesk, or an electronic file of a specification can be provided.

(1-3) Electronic Instruction Manual

The latest information of an instruction manual, which is necessary foran operator to operate each of the component mounting apparatuses k, canbe provided. It is possible to know how the contents of a revisedinstruction manual are reflected into the latest version. Moreover, anelectronic file of a selected instruction manual can be provided.

(1-4) Mending Parts

A service is provided so that a parts cassette corresponding to thecomponent supplying device 5, a mending part of the component suctionnozzle 7, or the like is arranged to be shipped to a factory of thedestination of delivery of a component mounting apparatus.

(1-5) Virtual Training

The virtual training is offered to an operator operating the componentmounting apparatus k at a factory at the destination of delivery of acomponent mounting apparatus by displaying an operation guide on themanagement device 101 or the display section 208 of the componentmounting apparatus k. Upon reception of this service, a virtual trainingsoftware is transferred from the service providing device 2. Thisvirtual training software is transferred to the management device 101 atthe corresponding factory so that the virtual training software isactivated on the management device 101 of the corresponding factory orthe component mounting apparatus k so as to carry out the training.Moreover, the virtual training software is activated on the servicereceiving device 1 so as to carry out the training by a remote operationvia the network 3.

(1-6) Maintenance Information

The maintenance information described for a recovery method at thetrouble occurrence in the component mounting apparatus k or anelectronic file of a maintenance manual can be provided. Moreover, ineach of the component mounting apparatuses k, the disclosure ofinformation of inconveniences, which have occurred so far, can bereceived. For the disclosed inconveniences, in order to eliminate theinconveniences, a coping strategy, for example, if a mending part isneeded to be replaced, if a software is needed to be upgraded, can beknown.

(1-7) Software Upgrade

In the component mounting apparatus k, a service can be provided forupgrading a software to its latest version in which the inconveniencesof the software occurring in the past have been eliminated. It ispossible to know, for example, information relating to how much theoperationality has been improved in the latest version, even if it isnot the inconvenience. It is also possible to know the upgrade ischarge-free or charged.

In the case where the upgrade is to be offered, the latest versionsoftware is transferred from the service providing device 2. This latestversion software is transferred to the management device 101 at thecorresponding factory so as to be installed on the correspondingcomponent mounting apparatus k.

(1-8) Mounted Component Data

The component library 241 among the NC data 220 can be provided. Thenormal component library 241 including all components having the resultsof fabrication of non-defective products is held in the serviceinformation DB 26 of the service providing device 2. It is possible toacquire the entire component library 241 or the range where necessarycomponent mounting apparatus k or kind of component is specified. As aresult, the mount production, which is suitable for obtaining the goodquality in accordance with the kind of a component or a circuit board tobe used, is enabled even by a novice operator.

(1-9) Technique Data

The technique data relating to a way of selecting a cream solder or anadhesive for the kind of each component or circuit board, a way ofdetermining a temperature profile in reflow can be acquired.

(1-10) Optimization

An optimization software for the NC data 220 can be provided foroptimization in the placement order of components and the arrangement ofcomponent supplying device 5 of the component supplying section 11 forthe purpose of reducing the placement time in the single placementmachine n108, distribution of components to each of the componentmounting apparatuses n108 for balancing a mounting tact of a pluralityof placement machines n108 constituting the component mounting line 100,and creation of the arrangement of common components for the purpose ofarrangement sharing of the component supplying device 5 so as to reducethe type switching time for replacing the component supplying device 5upon type switching of a produced circuit board. With this optimizationsoftware, the NC data 220, which is uploaded from the component mountingapparatus k at each factory, can be optimized so as to feedback theoptimized NC data 220 to the component mounting apparatus k at eachfactory. The mounting tact simulation is performed on the NC data 220,which is optimized by the optimization software, so as to provide amounting tact simulation software for performing a theoreticalcalculation of a mounting tact.

For the component mounting apparatuses k other than the mountingapparatus n108, the optimization is performed for reducing the mountingtime corresponding time for fabricating or inspecting one circuit boardin the single component mounting apparatus k so as to distribute themounted components or the applied components to each of the componentmounting apparatuses k in consideration of the balance of the mountingtact of each of the component mounting apparatuses k including theplacement machine n108. Moreover, for the component mounting apparatusesk other than the placement machine n108, the optimization is performedso as to reduce the type switching time. Such optimization is performedon the NC data 220 of the component mounting apparatuses k other thanthe placement machine n108. The optimized NC data 220 is feedbacked toeach of the component mounting apparatuses k.

(1-11) Monitoring and Analysis

A service for monitoring the quality and an operation status of thecomponent mounting line 100 by the service providing device 2 of amanufacturer supplying a component mounting apparatus via the network 60and further a service for analyzing the cause of abnormality when theabnormality occurs during monitoring so as to provide the feedback tothe component mounting line 100, are provided. This monitoring andanalysis service is realized by executing a monitoring and analysissoftware provided by the service providing device 2.

(2) Control Configuration of the Service Providing Device 2

A control configuration of the service providing device 2 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 25.

The service providing device 2 is constituted by atransmitting/receiving section 305, a memory section 302, a DBconversion section 308, a service information DB 26, an operationquality information DB 51, a control section 301, an input section 306and a display section 307. The transmitting/receiving section 305 isconnected to a network 60, and is capable of transmitting and receivinginformation to and from the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 of the service receiving device 1.

(2-1) Memory Section 302

The memory section 302 is constituted by a program area 303 and a dataarea 304.

In the program area 303, a service providing program for performing anoperation in a procedure described below so that the service providingdevice 2 realizes various functions for providing a service requestedfrom the service receiving device 1, is installed and stored in advance.The service providing program can be installed or sold via a storagemedium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM, or a transmission medium suchas the Internet. In some cases, the service program 216, which isderived from the service information DB 26 by the service providingprogram, is stored in the program area 303 of the memory section 302 soas to execute the service program 216 in the service providing device 2.As such a service program 216, an optimization software, a mounting tactsimulation software, a monitoring and analysis software, or the like arecited. The service program 216 can also be installed and sold via astorage medium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM, or a transmissionmedium such as the Internet.

In the data area 304, the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the delivery result information 217, and the NC data220 of each component mounting apparatus k in each factory at thedestination of delivery of component mounting apparatuses are stored.Moreover, the inspection result information 212 of each inspectionmachine is stored therein. Moreover, a speed master 414 and a tactsimulation parameter 413 (see FIGS. 27A and 27B) used for performing themounting tact simulation are also stored.

The facility information 211 and the inspection result information 212are the result information uploaded from each component mountingapparatus k via the service receiving device 1, and are stored for eachcomponent mounting apparatus k. The mounting tact information 213 iscomposed of result information including a mounting tact result valueuploaded from the management device 101 via the service receiving device1 and theoretical values of the mounting tact and the tact losscalculated in the mounting tact simulation, and is stored for eachcomponent mounting apparatus k. The delivery result information 217 isuploaded from the management device 101 via the service receiving device1. The delivery result information 217 corresponds to data of the type,the number, the delivery date, and the like of the delivered componentmounting apparatuses k, and is stored for each user to whom eachcomponent mounting apparatus is delivered. The NC data 220 is to bedownloaded to each component mounting apparatus k via the servicereceiving device 1 or is uploaded from each of the component mountingapparatuses k via the service receiving device 1. The NC data 220 isstored for each component mounting apparatus k.

In the speed master 414, the standard placement tact per point for ashape code, which is uniquely determined for each shape of thecomponent, is stored for each placement machine name which serves as aname for identifying the placement machine n108, as shown in FIG. 27Agiven as an example of the placement machine n108. Moreover, the speedmaster 414 stores loading time, tool change time, and cassettereplacement time for each placement machine name. Herein, the loadingtime corresponds to the amount of time from the completion of placementon the previous circuit board to the setting of a next circuit board tobe placed at the position for placement. The tool change timecorresponds to the amount of time for changing the component suctionnozzle 7 for sucking a component or a tool for chucking a component,which should be taken into consideration in the multifunctionalplacement machine 108 b. With them, the standard placement tact forplacement of one circuit board can be calculated.

The cassette replacement time correspond to the amount of time requiredto replace one parts cassette, that is, the component supplying device5. The type switching time is theoretically calculated based on theprestored cassette replacement time and the NC data 220 prior to andafter the type switching. Specifically, the number of replacements ofthe component supplying device 5 can be known from the NC data 220 priorto and after the type switching. The number of replacement is multipliedby the cassette replacement time to obtain the type switching time.

The tact simulation parameter 413 is present for each component mountingapparatus k. An example of the placement machine n108 is shown in FIG.27B. A standard tact (corresponding to the standard placement tact perpoint), an XY range (allowable moving range of the XY table 9 within thestandard tact), an XY speed (XY table moving speed), a Z range(allowable moving range of the component supplying device 5 within thestandard tact), and a Z speed (component supplying device moving speed)are stored in advance. The placement speed corresponds to a placementhead speed or the XY table moving speed. With these parameters, an XYtable movement loss and a component supplying device movement loss arecalculated.

(2-3) Transmitting/Receiving Section 305

The transmitting/receiving section 305 responds to a request forderiving the service data 215 and the service program 216 from theservice receiving device 1. The transmitting/receiving section 305receives the permission to the derivation request from the controlsection 301 which in turn transmits the service data 215 and the serviceprogram 216 retrieved from the service information DB 26 to the servicereceiving device 1 via the network 60.

The transmitting/receiving section 305 requests the service receivingdevice 1 to upload the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the inspection result information 212, the deliveryresult information 217, and the NC data 220 so as to upload the facilityinformation 211, the mounting tact information 213, the inspectionresult information 212, the delivery result information 217, and the NCdata 220 from the service receiving device 1 via the network 60. Thetransmitting/receiving section downloads the NC data 220 to the servicereceiving device 1 via the network 60.

(2-4) Operation Quality Information DB 51

The operation quality information DB 51 fetches the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, the inspection resultinformation 212 and the like stored in the data area 304 of the storagesection 302 so as to process an operating status or a quality status tohave a data structure which is easy to analyze and to accumulate it in adatabase.

The operation quality information DB 51 contains, as an example as shownin FIG. 28, a facility information DB 30, a mounting tact DB 32, and aninspection result DB 34.

In the facility information DB 30, the facility information 31 iswritten for each facility index identified by a factory name of thedestination of delivery of component mounting apparatuses and a name ofthe component mounting apparatus and for each time index identified bytime. The facility information 31 is based on the facility information211 which is fetched from the management device 101 at a factory of thedestination of delivery of each component mounting apparatus to bewritten into the data area 304 of the memory section 302, and composedof an operation rate, a suction rate, P-plate waiting time, troubleshutdown time, maintenance time, and the like.

The mounting tact DB 32 is present for each factory name of thedestination of delivery of component mounting apparatuses. Productionstart time and production end time are stored for each type of theproduced circuit board. The mounting tact information 33 is written foreach facility index identified by the name of a component mountingapparatus and for each type index identified by the produced type. Themounting tact information 33 is based on the mounting tact information213 (including a tact loss calculated by using the tact simulationparameter 413 stored in the data area 304 of the memory section 302 inadvance), which is fetched from the management device 101 at eachfactory of the destination of delivery of a component mounting apparatusto be written into the data area 304 of the memory section 302.

The inspection result DB 34 is present for each factory name of thedestination of a delivery of component mounting apparatus. Theinspection result information 35 is written for each inspection machineindex identified by each of the inspection after printing, theinspection after placement, and the visual inspection and for each typeindex identified by the type of production. The inspection resultinformation 35 is based on the inspection result information 212 whichis fetched from the management device 101 at each factory of thedestination of delivery of a component mounting apparatus to be writteninto the data area 304 of the memory section 302. Furthermore, byspecifying an identification code, a circuit number, and an electrodenumber of each circuit board 10 in the inspection result information 35,it is possible to retrieve information indicating if each circuit board10 is OK or NG and information indicating the contents of a defect withits circuit board number and electrode number.

In this manner, since the facility information 211 and the mounting tactinformation 213 collected from each component mounting apparatus k areaccumulated for each index of each produced type or each time index andfor each index of each component mounting apparatus k or the inspectionresult information 212 collected from each inspection machine for eachindex of each produced type or each index of each inspection machine, itis possible to easily perform the retrieval, the matching, and theanalysis by the produced type, the time, the component mountingapparatus k, and the inspection machine serving as important keywordsfor analysis.

In the operation quality information DB 51, target values of the lineoperation rate, the line mounting tact, and the suction rate andallowable ranges of the line tact balance and the tact loss are writtenin advance. For the line operation rate, the line mounting tact, andtheir target values and allowable ranges will be described below indetail in “(2-2) Operation for monitoring and analysis” of “IV.Operations of the service receiving device 1 and the service providingdevice 2.”

(2-5) DB Conversion Section 308

The DB conversion section 308 converts the facility information 211, themounting tact information 213 (including the mounting tact actual valuecorresponding to an actual value and the tact loss corresponding to atheoretical value), and the inspection result information 212 writteninto the data area 304 of the memory section 302 to have a datastructure for the operation quality information DB 51 so as to writethem into the operation quality information DB 51. For example, in thecase where the facility information 21 is to be written into theoperation quality information DB 51, the retrieval is performed on theindices of the facility information DB 30 considering from which factoryof the destination of delivery of component mounting apparatuses, fromwhich component mounting apparatus k and at which time the facilityinformation 211 is. Then, the converted facility information 31 iswritten at the locations of the corresponding indices.

Moreover, the DB conversion section 308 writes the delivery resultinformation 217, which has been written into the data area 304 of thememory section 302, into the contract DB 320 (described below) of theservice information DB 26 for each user.

(2-6) Service Information DB 26

The service data 215 and the service program 216 which are required toprovide service functions are accumulated in the service information DB26 and can be fetched out as necessary to provide a service. The serviceinformation DB is constituted by the respective databases shown in FIG.29.

The service data 215 and the service program 216 are the specificcontents of service information. The service data 215 is data necessaryto provide a service to a user, and includes, for example, contractinformation, business information, instruction manual information,mending parts information, maintenance information, a software of acomponent mounting apparatus, mounted component information, mountingtechnique information, and the like. The service program 216 is capableof providing a service to a user by executing itself, and includes, forexample, a virtual training software, an optimization software, amonitoring and analysis software, and the like.

All the service data 215 or all the service program 216 is stored in acentrally managed manner in the service information DB26 as new mountingknow-how so that the service data 215 or the service program 216 servingas the latest know-how can be easily retrieved from the servicereceiving device 1 from any zone of the world. Therefore, it is ensuredthat the latest service data 215 or service program 216 necessary for auser can be immediately acquired. As a result, even with a complicatedmounting technique which is conventionally likely to cause a trouble dueto wrong operation, the mount production can be realized based on thealready established latest know-how without establishing the know-howthrough a production loss generated upon set-up through a trial anderror process.

Hereinafter, the specific contents thereof will be described

(a) Contract DB 320

The contract database 320 (hereinafter, referred to as a contract DB;similarly, the other databases are also referred to using DB below) isthe accumulation of contract information for each user at thedestination of delivery of component mounting apparatuses of eachcontractant as shown in FIG. 30 illustrating the contents thereof. Forexample, the level of a contract can be retrieved by a user code or adelivery destination user name so as to allow the access. As a result,all the levels of a contract for each user can be centrally managed soas to easily determine the range of disclosure of a service for eachuser depending on the contents of the level of a contract registered inthe contract database.

In FIG. 30, a contract level “0” indicates that it is a contract of thelowermost level corresponding to the initial level. For a user of thislevel, only the minimum services such as business information, anelectronic instruction manual, or the like are disclosed. A contractlevel “2” indicates that it is a contract of the level two ranks higherthan the initial level. As compared with the contract level “0,” thiscontract level has a broader range of disclosure of a service.

Based on this contract level, a user at the destination of delivery ischarged. The accounting is regularly made, for example, by the month. Asa result, instead of charging for each service provision, the accountingis regularly made in a collective manner, for example, by the monthdepending on the level of a contract for services. Therefore, anaccounting process can be facilitated both for a user and for amanufacturer. Moreover, for a user, there will be no inconvenience thatthe user selects an unnecessary service to be wrongly charged.

Moreover, the presence/absence of automatic transmission of the servicedata 215 or the service program 216 and the delivery result of thecomponent mounting apparatus k are registered in the contract DB 320 foreach user.

For the presence/absence of automatic transmission of the service data215 or the service program 216, for example, either the batchtransmission or the individual transmission of the service data 215 andthe service program 216 can be registered as shown in FIG. 30. When the“batch” is selected to be registered, a revised or updated version ofthe service data 215 and the service program 216 is automaticallytransmitted at the timing of revising or upgrading either of the servicedata 215 or the service program 216 in all of them. On the other hand,when, for example, business information, an instruction manual,maintenance information, a component mounting apparatus software, or anoptimization software is individually selected for either of the servicedata 215 or the service program 216, a revised or updated version of theselected and registered service data 215 or service program 216 isautomatically transmitted only for the selected and registered servicedata 215 or service program 216. As a result, a user receives the latestservice by immediately replacing a service by a new one upon revision orupgrade even though the user does not check the revision or the updateof the contents of a service by himself/herself.

For the delivery result of the component mounting apparatus k, the typeof the delivered component mounting apparatus k, the delivered numberthereof, and the delivery date are registered. As a result, the servicedata 215 or the service program 216 relating to the type of thedelivered component mounting apparatus k can be automaticallytransmitted at the timing of its revision or upgrading. Therefore, sincea user can receive only a service relating to the type of the necessarycomponent mounting apparatus k, a service can be efficiently providedwithout generating any loss.

For the delivery result of the component mounting apparatus k, thedelivery result information 217 collected from the service receivingdevice 1 so as to be written in the data area 304 of the memory area 302is converted by the DB conversion section 308 to be registered.

(b) Business Information DB 321

A catalog code corresponding to an address where a catalog is presentand a specification code corresponding to an address where aspecification is present are stored for each type of each componentmounting apparatus k in the business information DB 321, as shown inFIG. 31 illustrating the contents thereof. The catalog code allows theretrieval of an electronic file 350 of a catalog of the correspondingtype of machine, whereas the specification code allows the retrieval ofan electronic file 351 of a specification of the corresponding type ofmachine.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 31, the business information DB 321 has sucha database structure that each desired specification condition of a useris specified to allow the retrieval of the corresponding type of machineso as to identify the type of the component mounting apparatus k basedon specification conditions specified by the user. The specificationconditions specified by the user, for example, as shown in the drawing,are a tact (mounting tact per point), a placement accuracy, a price, amountable component, the occupied area, and the like. When a placementmachine having a mounting tact per point faster than 0.15 sec. and aplacement accuracy of 0.05 mm or higher, and capable of placing a 1005chip component is desired, a placement machine meeting these conditionsis retrieved. When the retrieved one is a “component mounting apparatus2,” an electronic file of a catalog or a specification of thecorresponding “component mounting apparatus 2” can be retrieved by thecorresponding catalog code or specification code.

As a result, the business information such as a catalog, aspecification, or the like of a component mounting apparatus meeting thespecification conditions specified by the user can be derived, thecomponent mounting apparatus k satisfying the conditions desired by theuser can be easily retrieved so as to efficiently acquire a catalog, aspecification or the like of the component mounting apparatus k.

Moreover, as found in the drawing, since a catalog or a specification isstored for each issuance number consisting of the year of issuance and aserial number, not only the latest version but also an older catalog canbe consulted. Furthermore, when the summarized information is specified(the type of machine is specified to “Summary” ), the electronic file352 of a union catalog can be retrieved. Since the electronic file 352of a union catalog is also stored for each issuance number, not only thelatest version but an older catalog can be consulted. Although the priceis indicated in Japanese yen in the drawing, the prices in thecurrencies of various countries such as American dollar, Canadiandollar, and European Euro are also prepared in the business informationDB 321.

(c) Instruction Manual DB 322

In the instruction manual DB 322, as shown in FIG. 32 illustrating thecontents thereof, an instruction manual code corresponding to an addresswhere an instruction manual for each type of each component mountingapparatus k is present is stored. The instruction manual code allows theretrieval of the electronic file 355 of the instruction manual of thecorresponding type of a machine. Moreover, since the instruction manualis stored for each issuance number consisting of the year of issuanceand a serial number, not only the latest version but also an olderinstruction manual can be consulted. Moreover, the latest version of theinstruction manual can be provided at any time at the timing necessaryfor a user.

(d) Mending Parts DB 323

The mending parts DB 323 consists of stock information 358 andarrangement information 359 as shown in FIG. 33 illustrating thecontents thereof. As the stock information 358, the number of stocks ateach service point is stored for each mending parts number. Herein, themending parts are, for example, the component supplying device 5including a parts cassette, the component suction nozzle 7, and thelike.

As the arrangement information 359, a mending parts number to bearranged, the number of mending parts, the delivery date, and a dealingpoint and the like are stored. A point 1, a point 2, . . . may be therespective points in Japan, or may be the respective points in therespective countries. The arrangement information 359 can be fetched outfrom the mending parts DB 323 so as to be arranged in the order of usershaving earlier delivery date for consultation.

(e) Virtual Training DB 324

In the virtual training DB 324, a training code corresponding an addresswhere a virtual training software is present is stored for each type ofeach component mounting apparatus k as sown in FIG. 34 illustrating thecontents thereof.

With the training code, it is possible to retrieve the virtual trainingsoftware 361 of the corresponding type of a machine.

By supplying the virtual training software 361 from this virtualtraining DB 324 to a user, the training on an operator of the componentmounting apparatus k can be carried out at necessary timing so that thewrong operation of the operator of the component operator k does notoccur.

(f) Maintenance Information DB 325

In the maintenance information DB 325, the maintenance information 363corresponding to each section can be retrieved for each type of thecomponent mounting apparatuses k as shown in FIG. 35 illustrating thecontents thereof. As the respective sections, there are the placementhead 4, the XY table 9, the component supplying section 11, therecognition section, and the like. By specifying these sections, themaintenance information 363 can be derived. The maintenance information363 consists of the contents of errors, the contents of inconveniencesoccurred in the past, and methods of coping with them. By specifying thetype of the component mounting apparatus k and a section name for themaintenance information DB 325, a list of the contents of inconveniencesoccurred in the past can be extracted so as to know methods of copingwith the respective extracted contents of inconveniences. The contentsof a coping method is, for example, the necessity of replacement ofmending parts, or the necessity of upgrade of a software.

As another extracting method, the type of the component mountingapparatus k, a section name, and the contents of an inconvenience may bespecified in the maintenance information DB 325 so as to extract amethod of coping with the inconvenience. As a result, since a recoverymethod or preventive measures for an error actually occurring in thecomponent mounting apparatus k, which is desired to be urgentlyeliminated, can be quickly extracted from the enormous maintenanceinformation, the error shutdown time of the component mounting apparatusk can be minimized so as to prevent the recurrence of that error.

The maintenance information DB 325 stores a maintenance codecorresponding to an address where a maintenance manual is present foreach type of each component mounting apparatus k as shown in FIG. 35.The maintenance code allows the retrieval of the electronic file 364 ofa maintenance manual of the corresponding type of a component mountingapparatus. Herein, the maintenance manual consists of informationnecessary for maintenance such as regular check, a control wiringdiagram, a sequence control diagram, and the like in addition to theabove-described maintenance information 363. Since the maintenancemanual is stored for each issuance number consisting of the year ofissuance and a serial number, not only the latest version but also anolder maintenance manual can be consulted. The latest version of themaintenance manual can be provided at any time.

(g) Software DB 326

In the software DB 326, as shown in FIG. 36 illustrating the contentsthereof, the upgrade information 366 and a software code correspondingto the type of a software can be retrieved for each type of eachcomponent mounting apparatus k. Although the type of a software isindicated as a software 1, a software 2, . . . in the drawing, forexample, an operation control software, a positioning software for acomponent supplying section, and the like are cited. The upgradeinformation 366 consists of the contents of upgrade of a software overeach version of the software, for example, the contents of eliminatedinconveniences, the contents of improved operability and functions, andthe like.

A software code indicates an address where the corresponding software ispresent. The software code allows the retrieval of a software 367 of thecorresponding type of component mounting apparatus. In addition of thelatest version of the software 367, its older version can also beretrieved.

(h) Mounted Component DB 327

The mounted component DB 327 is present for each shape code ofcomponents as shown in FIG. 37 illustrating the contents thereof. Themounted component DB 327 consists of the classification of classifiedcomponents, common data 369 such as component size which is common tothe types of the component mounting apparatuses k, and mountingcondition data 370 peculiar to each type of each component mountingapparatus k. The specific contents are similar to those of the componentlibrary 241 of FIG. 23. For example, the common data 369 is a length, awidth, a thickness of a component, the style of packing provided by atape, or the like. The mounting condition data 370 contains a movingspeed of the placement head 4, a moving speed of the XY table 9, thetype of the component suction nozzle 7 to be used, and the like, andalso contains recognition data. By these data, a shape code and the typeof the component mounting apparatus k are specified in the mountedcomponent DB 327 so as to retrieve and extract the contents of thecomponent library 241. Naturally, it is possible to specify the type ofthe component mounting apparatus k so as to fetch out a componentlibrary of all shape codes registered for the specified type ofcomponent mounting apparatus.

With this mounted component DB 327, it is possible to store thecomponent library 241 in a centrally managed manner as new mountingknow-how so that the component library 241 serving as the latestknow-how can be easily retrieved from the service receiving device 1from anywhere of the world. Therefore, the latest component library 241which is necessary for a user can be immediately and certainly acquired.As a result, even with a complicated mounting technique which isconventionally likely to cause a trouble due to wrong operation, themount production can be realized based on the already established latestknow-how without establishing the know-how with a production loss uponstart-up in a trial and error process.

Moreover, by specifying the type of a component, it is possible toacquire a component library of shape codes within the specified range,for example, so as to extract all shape codes of a rectangular chip. Asa result, a component library of the type within the range used by auser for production can be fetched out so as to be managed and storedwithout fetching out a component library of all components so as toprevent the occupation of an enormous storage capacity due to managementof the component library including unnecessary components. Therefore,the effective operation is possible.

(i) Mounting Technique DB 328

From the mounting technique DB 328, as shown in FIG. 38 illustrating thecontents thereof, mounting technique information such as cream solderinformation, adhesive information, and reflow information can beretrieved to be extracted for each board condition. The board conditionsare a material or a thickness of a circuit board, the type of acomponent to be mounted, a closely adjacent status of a lead pitch ofSOP or QFP, and the like. All existing conditions such as a condition 1,a condition 2, . . . are assumed. The matching condition is retrieved soas to extract the corresponding mounting technique information. Thecream solder information is information relating to a material, aviscosity, a temperature, and the like of a cream solder. The adhesiveinformation is information relating to a material, a viscosity, atemperature, and the like of an adhesive to be applied. The reflowinformation is a temperature profile, a conveying speed of a board in afurnace, and the like.

(j) Optimization Software DB 329

The optimization software DB 329 stores, as shown in FIG. 39illustrating the contents thereof, an optimization code corresponding toan address where an optimization software is present and a simulationcode corresponding to an address where a mounting tact simulationsoftware is present for each type of each component mounting apparatusk. The optimization code allows the retrieval of an optimizationsoftware 368 of the corresponding type of component mounting apparatus,whereas the simulation code allows the retrieval of a mounting tactsimulation software 375 of the corresponding type of component mountingapparatus.

The optimization software 368 performs the optimization so as to reducethe mounting time for one component mounting apparatus k, including theoptimization of the component mounting order of a single componentmounting apparatus and the arrangement of the component supplying device5. When “total optimization” is selected in the type of a componentmounting apparatus, a total optimization software 374 for totaloptimization of the component mounting line 100 can be retrieved. Thetotal optimization software 374 performs the distribution of mountedcomponents and applied components to the component mounting apparatusesk including the respective placement machines n108 of the componentmounting line 100 in consideration of the mounting tact balance and thecreation of common component arrangement which is the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 common to a plurality of types ofproducts.

The mounting tact simulation software 375, for example, reads the NCdata 220 of a single placement machine so as to theoretically calculatethe amount of placement time in consideration of a tact loss of a singleplacement machine. When “total optimization” is selected for the type ofmachine, a total mounting tact simulation software 371 for performingthe total mounting tact simulation of the component mounting line 100can be retrieved. The total mounting tact simulation software 371theoretically calculates the mounting tact balance of the componentmounting line 100 or the amount of production time of the types ofproduct produced in total for one day.

Since the optimization software DB 329 allows various optimizationsoftwares 368 or mounting tact simulation software 375 necessary foreach type of the component mounting apparatus k or each usage to beaccumulated in the database so that the software matching the type ofmachine or the usage can be retrieved to be fetched out, theoptimization of the mounting order and the tact simulation applicable tothe type of the component mounting apparatus k, in which a tact loss isdesired to be eliminated, can be quickly provided. As a result, thealready established optimization know-how is reflected into the mountingorder so as to realize high-efficiency production without establishingthe know-how of eliminating the tact loss of the component mountingapparatus k by a user himself/herself in a trial and error process.

(k) Monitoring and Analysis Software DB 330

The monitoring and analysis software DB 330 stores, as shown in FIG. 40illustrating the contents thereof, upgrade information in which theupgraded contents of each version of the monitoring and analysissoftware are stored and a monitoring and analysis software codecorresponding to an address where the monitoring and analysis softwareis present. The monitoring and analysis software code allows theretrieval of the corresponding monitoring and analysis software 372. Notonly the latest version but also the previous versions of the monitoringand analysis software 372 can be retrieved.

The monitoring and analysis software 372 is a software for causing theservice providing device 2 to carry out a service for monitoring thequality and an operation status of the component mounting line 100 viathe network 60 and furthermore, when the abnormality occurs during themonitoring, a service for analyzing its cause and for giving feedback ascountermeasures to the component mounting line 100.

With this monitoring and analysis software DB 330, the monitoring andanalysis software 372 for monitoring and analyzing a production statusof a mounting factory, in which the latest monitoring and analysisknow-how is accumulated, is centrally managed in a database. Since thisdatabase is capable of further accumulating the latest know-how in asuccessive manner, the already established and proven monitoring andanalysis know-how can be provided at any time from anywhere of the worldwithout establishing the monitoring and analysis know-how in a trial anderror process by a user himself/herself. As a result, a monitoring andanalysis service resulting from the same know-how can be provided for auser in any zone of the world, so that each user of the world canrealize the production of the uniform quality. The monitoring andanalysis software 372 can be executed in the service receiving device 1on the user side.

(2-7) Control Section 301

The control section 301 reads out a service providing program from aprogram area 303 of the memory section 302 so as to execute a serviceproviding program. As a result of this, the following various functionscan be realized so that the service providing device 2 provides aservice required by the service receiving device 1.

(a) Derivation of the Service Data 215 and the Service Program 216

In accordance with a derivation request from the service receivingdevice 1 via the transmitting/receiving section 305, the control section301 derives the service data 215 and the service program 216 from theservice information DB 26 so as to transmit them to the servicereceiving device 1 via the transmitting/receiving section 305. Herein,in actual, even if the control section 301 derives the service data 215and the service program 216 from the service information DB 26 inresponse to a derivation request from the service receiving device 1 asdescribed above, the service data 215 and the service program 216 arederived from the service information DB 26 by the service receivingdevice 1, in terms of results. Therefore, it is determined that themeaning of derivation of the service data 215 and the service program216 from the service information DB 26 by the service receiving device 1includes the derivation of the service data 215 and the service program216 from the service information DB 26 in accordance with a derivationrequest from the service receiving device 1. Moreover, the meaningnaturally includes the actual derivation of the service data 215 and theservice program 216 from the service information DB 26 directly by theservice receiving device 1.

The service receiving device 1 may be a mere terminal so that thecontrol section 301 displays a WEB screen on the display section 25 ofthe service receiving device 1 on which a menu is invited to beselected, in accordance with a service providing program operating onthe service providing device 2. In this case, a derivation request for aservice corresponding to the selected menu is input to the controlsection 301. The control section 301 derives the requested service fromthe service information DB 26 so as to output it to the servicereceiving device 1. This case is also included in the meaning ofderivation of the service data 215 and the service program 216 from theservice information DB 26 by the service providing device 1.

Moreover, the control section 301 derives the service data 215 and theservice program 216 from the service information DB 26 in response to aderivation request indicated by an operator operating the serviceproviding device 2 using the display section 307 or the input section306 so as to output them to the display section 307 or transfer them tothe service receiving device 1 via the transmitting/receiving section305. The control section 301 registers the input service data 216 andservice program 216 in the service information DB 26 in response to aninstruction from the display section 307 or the input section 306.

The specific contents for deriving the service data 215 and the serviceprogram 216 from the service information DB 26 are as follows.

The control section 301 uses the contract DB 320 for retrieval whilespecifying a user of the destination of delivery of a component mountingapparatus so as to consult or update the contents of a contract such asthe level of a contract. The control section 301 registers the deliveryresult information 217 such as the type of the delivered componentmounting apparatus k, the number of delivered component mountingapparatuses, the delivery date and the like, which is uploaded from theservice receiving device 1 via the transmitting/receiving section 305,in the contract DB 302 while specifying the user of the destination ofdelivery of the component mounting apparatus. The control section 301registers in the contract DB 320 if the service data 215 and the serviceprogram 216 of the type of machine having the delivery result areautomatically transmitted at timing of revision or upgrade of theservice data 215 and the service program 216 while specifying the userof the destination of delivery of the component mounting apparatus.

Furthermore, the control section 301 uses the business information DB321 for retrieval while specifying the type of the component mountingapparatus k or specification conditions of the component mountingapparatus so as to extract a catalog or a specification of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k. The specificationconditions of the component mounting apparatus k are a placement tact, aplacement accuracy, a price, and a placeable component and the like.

Moreover, the control section 301 uses the instruction manual DB 322 forretrieval while specifying the type of the component mounting apparatusk so as to extract the electronic file 355 of an instruction manual ofthe corresponding component mounting apparatus k. Unless otherwisespecified upon retrieval, the electronic file 355 of the latest versionof the instruction manual is extracted. If an issuance number isspecified, the electronic file 355 of an instruction manual of thespecified issuance number is extracted.

Moreover, the control section 301 uses the mending parts DB 323 forretrieval while specifying a mending parts number so as to extract thestock information for the corresponding mending parts number. Thecontrol section 301 also registers the number, the delivery date, and adealing point of mending parts to be arranged in the mending parts DB323 while specifying a user name and the mending parts number. At thispoint, the control section 301 determines and registers a dealing pointin consideration of the number of mending parts specified by the user, apoint capable of responding to the delivery date, and if the point isgeographically the closest to the user or not.

The control section 301 uses the virtual training DB 324 for retrievalwhile specifying the type of the component mounting apparatus k so as toextract the virtual training software 361 of the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k.

The control section 301 uses the maintenance information DB 325 forretrieval while specifying the type of the component mounting apparatusk and each section of the component mounting apparatus k so as toextract the maintenance information 363 of the corresponding section ofthe corresponding component mounting apparatus k. Each section of thecomponent mounting apparatus k is the placement head 4, the XY table 9,the component supplying section 11, or the like. The maintenanceinformation 363 consists of the contents of errors or the contents ofinconveniences occurred in the past and methods for coping with them.The control section 301 uses the maintenance information DB 325 forretrieval while specifying the type of the component mounting apparatusk so as to extract the electronic file 364 of the maintenance manual ofthe corresponding component mounting apparatus k. The maintenance manualis constituted by information required for maintenance such as regularcheck, a control wiring diagram, a sequence control diagram and the likein addition to the above-described maintenance information 363. Unlessotherwise specified upon retrieval, the electronic file 364 of thelatest version of the maintenance manual is extracted. If an issuancenumber is specified, the electronic file 364 of the maintenance manualof the specified issuance number is extracted.

The control section 301 uses the software DB 326 for retrieval whilespecifying the type of the component mounting apparatus k and the kindof a software so as to extract the upgrade information 366 of thecorresponding kind of a software of the corresponding component mountingapparatus k and the software 367. As the kind of a software, anoperation control software, a positioning software of the componentsupplying section 11, and the like are cited. The upgrade information366 consists of the contents of upgrade of a software over each versionof a software, for example, the contents of eliminated inconveniences,the contents of improvement in operability and functions, and the like.Unless otherwise specified upon retrieval, the software 367 of thelatest version is extracted. If a version number is specified, thesoftware 367 of the specified version number is extracted.

The control section 301 uses the mounted component DB 327 for retrievalwhile specifying a shape code and the type of the component mountingapparatus k so as to extract the component library 241 of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k of the corresponding shapecode. The control section 301 uses the mounted component DB 327 forretrieval while specifying the type of the component mounting apparatusk so as to extract the component library 241 of all shape codes of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k. Furthermore, the controlsection 301 uses the mounted component DB 327 for retrieval whilespecifying the classification of a component and the type of thecomponent mounting apparatus k so as to extract the component library241 of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k of a shape codeincluded in the corresponding classification. The classificationcorresponds to classification of components, for example, “rectangularchip,” “QFP,” and the like.

The control section 301 uses the mounting technique DB 328 for retrievalwhile specifying a board condition so as to extract mounting techniqueinformation of the corresponding board condition. The substrateconditions are a material or a thickness of a circuit board, the type ofa component to be mounted, a closely adjacent status of a lead pitch ofSOP or QFP, and the like. The mounting technique information is thecream solder information, the adhesive information, the reflowinformation, or the like. The cream solder information is informationrelating to a material, a viscosity, a temperature, and the like of acream solder. The adhesive information is information relating to amaterial, a viscosity, a temperature, and the like of an adhesive to beapplied. The reflow information is a temperature profile, a conveyingspeed of a board in a furnace.

The control section 301 uses the optimization software DB 329 forretrieval while specifying the type of the component mounting apparatusk so as to extract the optimization software 368 of the correspondingcomponent mounting apparatus k. The optimization software 368 performs,for example, the optimization of the component mounting order for asingle placement machine or the arrangement for the component supplyingdevice 5. When “total optimization” is selected for the type of amachine, the control section 301 can use the optimization software DB329 for retrieval so as to retrieve the total optimization software 374for performing the total optimization of the component mounting line100. The total optimization software 374 performs the distribution ofcomponents to the respective placement machines of the componentmounting line 100 in consideration of the mounting tact balance, thecreation of common component arrangement which is the arrangement of thecomponent supplying device 5 common to a plurality of types of products,the optimization of the component placement order for each singleplacement machine and the arrangement of the component supplying device5. The control section 301 uses the optimization software DB 329 forretrieval while specifying the type of the component mounting apparatusk so as to extract the mounting tact simulation software 375 of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k. The mounting tactsimulation software 375 reads, for example, the NC data 220 of a singleplacement machine so as to perform a theoretical calculation ofplacement time in consideration of a tact loss of a single placementmachine. When “total optimization” is selected for the type of machine,the total mounting tact simulation software 371 for performing the totalmounting tact simulation of the component mounting line 100 can beretrieved. The total mounting tact simulation software 371 performs atheoretical calculation of the mounting tact balance of the componentmounting line 100 and a theoretical calculation of the production timeof the types of products produced in total for one day.

The control section 301 uses the monitoring and analysis software DB 330for retrieval so as to extract the monitoring and analysis software 372.The monitoring and analysis software 372 is a software for causing theservice providing device 2 to carry out a service for monitoring thequality and an operation status of the component mounting line 100 viathe network 60 and further, when the abnormality occurs during themonitoring, a service for analyzing its cause and giving feedback ascountermeasures to the component mounting line 100. The control section301 executes the monitoring and analysis software 372 to collect thefacility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, and theinspection result information 212 from the service receiving device 1 soas to accumulate the collected facility information 211, mounting tactinformation 213, and inspection result information 212 in the operationquality information DB 51. The control section 301 monitors a productionstatus based on these accumulated information. If the control section301 finds a problem, the control section 301 analyzes its cause so as togive feedback to the service receiving device 1.

(b) Collection of the Facility Information 211, the Mounting TactInformation 213, the Inspection Result Information 212, and the DeliveryResult Information 217

The control section 301 automatically judges the timing for collectingthe facility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, theinspection result information 212, and the delivery result information217 so as to instruct a collection request of the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, the inspection resultinformation 212, and the delivery result information 217 to thetransmitting/receiving section 305. The control section 301 receives thefacility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, and theinspection result information 212 for each component mounting apparatusfrom the transmitting/receiving section 305 so as to store them in thedata area 304 of the memory section 302 for each component mountingapparatus k. The control section 301 also receives the delivery resultinformation 217 for each user from the transmitting/receiving section305 so as to store it in the data area 304 of the memory section 302.

The timing for automatically collecting the facility information 211,the mounting tact information 213, the inspection result information212, and the delivery result information 217 can be arbitrarily set. Forexample, these information may be collected for each hour.Alternatively, the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the inspection result information 212, and the deliveryresult information 217 for one day may be stored in the servicereceiving device 1 so as to be collected from the service receivingdevice 1 once a day. Further alternatively, the timing other than thismay be used. Furthermore, the collection in the short term or in thelong term may be determined depending on the urgency of analyzing thequality and an operation status. Furthermore, the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, the inspection resultinformation 212, and the delivery result information 217 may becollected by the operation of an operator.

(c) Collection and Transmission of the NC Data 220

After collection of the mounting tact information 213, the controlsection 301 instructs the transmitting/receiving section 305 to collect,from the service receiving device 1, the NC data 220 of the productiontype upon collection of the mounting tact information 213 in thecomponent mounting line 100 of the same factory of the destination ofdelivery of a component mounting apparatus where the component tactinformation 213 is collected. When the control section 301 receives theNC data 220 instructed by the transmitting/receiving section 305, the NCdata 220 is stored in the data area 304 of the memory section 302 foreach component mounting apparatus k. The theoretical calculations of amounting tact and a tact loss are performed by using the collected NCdata 220 and the speed master 414 and the tact simulation parameter 413stored in the data area 304 of the memory section 302. The resultingtheoretical values of the mounting tact and the tact loss are written inthe data area 304 of the memory section 302 so as to add them to themounting tact information 213.

The details of the above-described theoretical calculations of themounting tact and the tact loss, that is, the mounting tact simulationwill be described below.

Although the example where the tact loss is obtained by tact simulationhas been described, it is not limited thereto. The tact loss may bedetected in the component mounting apparatus k including the placementmachine n108. The tact loss may be collected and included in themounting tact information 213 so as to be stored in the data area 304 ofthe data memory section 302. As an example, a method of detecting a tactloss in the placement machine n108 may be for measuring the amount oftime from the beginning of movement of the component supplying device 5or the XY table 9 to the end of positioning so as to detect the amountof excess from the standard tact as a tact loss.

With the detection of a tact loss in the component mounting apparatus kin this manner, the tact loss is an absolute result value, resulting inbetter accuracy of the tact loss. Moreover, since it is no morenecessary to perform the tact simulation each time the mounting tactinformation 213 is updated in the service providing device 2, the loadon the service providing device 2 is reduced. However, there areactually few component mounting apparatuses k from which the tact lossis detected. Even if there is the component mounting apparatus k fromwhich the tact loss is detected, it is believed that there are few caseswhere the tact loss is detected from all the component mountingapparatuses k of the component mounting line 100. Therefore, it isconsidered that the calculation of a tact loss by tact simulation isconsiderably effective in view of the system architecture.

The control section 301 reads out the NC data 220, which has beenoptimized by the NC data optimization function, from the data area 304of the data memory section 302. Then, the control section 301 outputsthe readout NC data 220 to the transmitting/receiving section 305 fortransmission to the service receiving device 1.

(d) Mounting Tact Simulation

The mounting tact simulation is a function for performing thetheoretical calculation of a mounting tact based on the NC data 220after optimization (NC data prior to optimization may be used). Thetheoretical calculation of a mounting tact to a circuit board and thetheoretical calculation of replacement time of the component supplyingdevice 5 upon type switching are performed.

The control section 301 activates the mounting tact simulation software375 of the corresponding type of the component mounting apparatus k forthe mounting tact simulation software 375 stored in the program area 303of the memory section 302, which software 375 is retrieved from theservice information DB 26, thereby executing the mounting tactsimulation.

Hereinafter, a theoretical calculation method of a placement tact willbe described for an example of the high-speed placement machine.

A standard tact in each placed component (corresponding to a standardplacement tact per point), an allowable movement range of the XY table 9within the standard tact, and an allowable movement range of thecomponent supplying device 5 within the standard tact are read from thespeed master 414 and the tact simulation parameter 413 which are storedin the data area 304 of the memory section 302. Then, a theoreticalvalue of the placement tact is calculated based on a relative movingdistance from the previous placement position of the XY table 9 or thecomponent supplying device 5 upon placement of each component, which isobtained from the corresponding NC data 220 stored in the data area 304of the memory section 302. Specifically, a calculation method will bedescribed below. First, a standard placement tact is calculated by usingFormula I.Standard placement tact=(loading time)+Σ((standard placement tact perpoint of a component)×(the number of components))+(tool changetime)×(the number of changes)  (Formula I)

Herein, the loading time and the tool change time are obtained byretrieving a placement machine name from the speed master 414. Moreover,the standard placement tact per point of a component is obtained byretrieving a placement machine name and a shape code from the speedmaster 414. The number of components is obtained by counting the numberof steps for placing the corresponding component from the NC program221. The number of changes is obtained by counting the frequency ofchanging the component suction nozzle 7 or a tool used at each of theplacement steps in the NC program 221. Moreover, Σ((standard placementtact per point of a component)×(the number of components)) means acalculation of the sum of ((standard placement tact per point of acomponent)×(the number of components)) for all kinds of components to beplaced on one circuit board. The (tool change time)×(the number ofchanges) is applied in the multifunctional placement machine 108 b, butnot in the high-speed placement machine 108 a (in the high-speedplacement machine 108 a, the tool change time=0).

Next, in the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 a, an XY tablemovement loss upon placement per point at each placement step will becalculated by using Formula 2.If (XY movement amount)<=(XY allowable movement range), (XY movementloss per point)=0.If (XY movement amount)>(XY allowable movement range), (XY movement lossper point)=((XY movement amount)−(XY allowable movement range))/(XYspeed).  (Formula 2)

Herein, the XY movement amount is the amount of relative movement of theXY table 9 from the previous placement position upon placement per pointat each placement step, whereas the XY allowable movement range is anallowable movement range of the XY table 9 within the standard tactretrieved from the tact simulation parameter 413 with the correspondingplacement speed. The XY movement loss per point is an XY table movementloss upon placement per point at each placement step, and the XY speedis a movement speed of the XY table 9 retrieved with the correspondingplacement speed from the tact simulation parameter 413.

Next, in the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 a, a componentsupplying device movement loss upon placement per point at eachplacement step will be calculated by using Formula 3.If (Z movement amount)<=(Z allowable movement range), (Z movement lossper point)=0.If (Z movement amount)>(Z allowable movement range), (Z movement lossper point)=((Z movement amount)−(Z allowable movement range))/(Zspeed).  (Formula 3)

Herein, the Z movement amount is the amount of relative movement of thecomponent supplying device 5 from the position at the previous placementstep upon placement per point at each placement step, whereas the Zallowable movement range is an allowable movement range of the componentsupplying device 5 within the standard tact retrieved from the tactsimulation parameter 413 with the corresponding placement speed. The Zmovement loss per point is a component supplying device movement lossupon placement per point at each placement step, and the Z speed is amovement speed of the component supplying device 5 retrieved from thetact simulation parameter 413 with the corresponding placement speed.

Next, the XY table movement loss is calculated. The XY table movementloss is calculated by using Formula 4.(XY table movement loss)=Σ((XY movement loss per point) establishing((XY movement loss per point)>=(Z movement loss per point))).  (Formula4)

Herein, the XY table movement loss is the sum of tact losses relating tomovement of the XY table 9 when the placement is performed for onecircuit board. Moreover, Σ((XY movement loss per point) establishing((XY movement loss per point)>=(Z movement loss per point))) means thesum of XY table movement losses of the placement step at which the XYtable movement loss upon placement per point at each placement step isequal to or larger than the component supplying device movement loss.

Similarly, the component supplying device movement loss is calculated.The component supplying device movement loss is calculated by usingFormula 5.(Component supplying device movement loss)=Σ((Z movement loss per point)establishing ((Z movement loss per point)>(XY movement loss perpoint))).  (Formula 5)

Herein, the component supplying device movement loss is the sum of tactlosses relating to movement of the component supplying device uponplacement for one circuit board. Moreover, Σ((Z movement loss per point)establishing ((Z movement loss per point)>(XY movement loss per point)))means the sum of Z movement losses at the placement step at which the Zmovement loss upon placement per point at each placement step is equalto or larger than the XY movement loss.

Then, a theoretical value of a placement tact is calculated by Formula 6from the standard mounting tact calculated by Formula 1, the XY tablemovement loss calculated by Formula 4, and the component supplyingdevice movement loss calculated by Formula 5.(Theoretical value of placement tact)=(standard placement tact)+(XYtable movement loss)+(component supplying device movementloss).  (Formula 6)

There is also provided a function for comparing a placement tact resultvalue corresponding to a result value obtained by placement productionby the same NC data 220 with the theoretical value of the mounting tactcalculated by (Formula 6) so as to check if a difference between them iswithin the range of error. If it is judged not to be within the range oferror, each parameter of the tact simulation parameters 413 is adjustedso that the difference falls within the range of error.

Moreover, the above-described Formula 2 to Formula 6 are for calculatingtheoretical values of the tact loss and the placement tact of thehigh-speed placement machine 108 a. Although a formula is omitted forthe multifunctional placement machine 108 b, a tact loss is similarlycalculated. In the case of the multifunctional placement machine 108 b,since the placement head 4 moves between the supplying position of thecomponent supplying device 5 and the placement position on the circuitboard 10 by the XY robot 14, a moving distance is calculated. When thismoving distance exceeds the allowable movement range within the standardtact, a tact loss is calculated based on the amount of excess ofmovement. A theoretical value of the placement tact can be obtained bythe addition of the sum of the tact losses at all placement steps andthe standard placement tact calculated by Formula 1. In the case where aplurality of components are simultaneously sucked by providing aplurality of the placement heads 4, a moving distance of the placementheads 4 is calculated in accordance with a movement operation ofsimultaneous suction.

A theoretical value of mounting time of the component mounting apparatusk other than the placement machine n108 is calculated in a methodaccording to a mounting operation of that component mounting apparatusk.

(3) Control Configuration of the Service Receiving Device 1

A control configuration of the service receiving device 1 will bedescribed using FIG. 26.

The service receiving device 1 is constituted by: a management deviceside transmitting/receiving section 20, a service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23, a memory section 22, a controlsection 21, an input section 24, and a display section 25. Themanagement device side transmitting/receiving section 20 is connected tothe network 3 so as to be capable of transmitting and receivinginformation to and from the service receiving device sidetransmitting/receiving section 406 of the management device 101 at afactory of the destination of delivery of each component mountingapparatus. The service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23 is connected to the network 60 so as to be capable oftransmitting and receiving information to and from the service providingdevice 2.

(3-1) Memory Section 22

The memory section 22 is constituted by a program area 27 and a dataarea 28.

A service receiving program for performing an operation in the followingprocedure so that the service receiving device 1 realizes variousfunctions for deriving desired services from the service providingdevice 2 is installed and stored in advance in the program area 27.Moreover, the service program 216 derived from the service providingdevice 2 is stored in the program area 27. The service receiving programand the service program 216 can be installed and sold via a storagemedium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM or a transmission medium suchas the Internet.

In the data area 28, the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, and the NC data 220 of each component mountingapparatus k at each factory of the destination of delivery of acomponent mounting apparatus are stored. Moreover, the inspection resultinformation 212 of each inspection machine and the delivery resultinformation 217 of each user are stored in the data area 28.Furthermore, the service data 215 derived from the service providingdevice 2 is stored therein.

The facility information 211 is the result information uploaded fromeach component mounting apparatus k and is stored for each componentmounting apparatus k. The mounting tact information 213 includes themounting tact result value uploaded from each component mountingapparatus k and is stored for each component mounting apparatus. Theinspection result information 212 is the result information uploadedfrom each inspection machine and is stored for each inspection machine.The delivery result information 217 is the result information which iscreated in the management device 101 of each factory to be uploaded, andis stored for each user. The NC data 220 is to be downloaded to eachcomponent mounting apparatus k or is uploaded from each componentmounting apparatus k, and is stored for each component mountingapparatus k.

The service data 215 and the service program 216 are derived from theservice providing device 2 to be transferred to the management device101 of each factory. However, there is a possibility that the serviceprogram 216 may be executed in the service receiving device 1.

(3-2) Management Device Side Transmitting/Receiving Section 20

The management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 receives arequest for collecting the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the inspection result information 212, the deliveryresult information 217, and the NC data 220 from the control section 21while specifying a factory at the destination of delivery of a componentmounting apparatus. The facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the inspection result information 212, the deliveryresult information 217, and the NC data 220 are uploaded from themanagement device 101 at a specified factory of the destination ofdelivery of a component mounting apparatus via the network 3 so as to bewritten into the data area 28 of the memory section 22.

The management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 receives arequest for transmitting the NC data 220, the service data 215, and theservice program 216 from the control section 21 while specifying afactory at the destination of delivery of a component mountingapparatus. Then, the transmitting/receiving section 20 transmits them tothe management device 101 via the network 3.

(3-3) Service Providing Device Side Transmitting/Receiving Section 23

The service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23receives a derivation request from the control section 21 to derive theservice data 215 and the service program 216 from the service providingdevice 2 via the network 60 so as to write them into the data area 28 ofthe memory section 22.

Moreover, in response to an upload request of the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, the inspection resultinformation 212, the delivery result information 217, and the NC data220 from the service providing device 2, the service providing deviceside transmitting/receiving section 23 transmits the facilityinformation 211, the mounting tact information 213, the inspectionresult information 212, the delivery result information 217, and the NCdata 220 via the network 60. The service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 receives the download of the NC data220 from the service providing device 2 via the network 60 so as towrite it into the data area 28 of the memory section 22.

(3-4) Control Section 21

The control section 21 reads out a service receiving program from theprogram area 27 of the memory section 22 so as to execute the servicereceiving program. When the service receiving program is activated, amounting WEB screen shown in FIG. 24 is displayed on the display section25 so as to be in a preparation state of receiving an operation forservice derivation from the display section 25 or the input section 24.As a result, the following various functions, which allows the servicereceiving device 1 from deriving a desired service from the serviceproviding device 2, can be realized.

The functions of the control section 21 described below may beimplemented not by the execution of the service receiving program by thecontrol section 21 to function the service receiving device 1, but byremote control of the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 through execution of the service providing program by thecontrol section 301 of the service providing device 2.

(a) Derivation of the Service Data 215 and the Service Program 216

The control section 21 fetches the service data 215 and the serviceprogram 216 from the service providing device 2 via the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23 by an operationof an operator through the display section 25 or the input section 24.Then, the service data 215 is written into the data area 28 of thememory section 22 whereas the service program 216 is written into theprogram area 27 of the memory section 22. The control section 21transfers the service data 215 and the service program 216 to themanagement device 101 of each factory via the management device sidetransmitting/receiving section 20. The control section 21 reads out andexecute the service program 216 stored in the memory section 22 so as tocarry out a desired service in the service receiving device 1.

The specific contents of deriving the service data 215 and the serviceprogram 216 from the service providing device 2 via the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23 are as follows.

The control section 21 transmits an instruction for consultation orupdate of the contents of a contract such as the level of a contract tothe service providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 while specifying a user name at thedestination of delivery of a component mounting apparatus so as toconsult or update the contents of a contract such as the level of acontract for the service providing device 2 via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23. The control section 21cause the service providing device 2 to upload the delivery resultinformation 217 such as the type of a delivered machine, the number ofdelivered machines, and the delivery date of a component mountingapparatus via the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23. The control section 21 instructs the service providingdevice 2 to register the delivery result information 217 whilespecifying a user name of the destination of delivery of a componentmounting apparatus via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23. Moreover, the control section 21instructs the service providing device 2 to register if the service data215 and the service program 216 of the type of a machine having thedelivery result are automatically transmitted at the timing of revisionor upgrade of the service data 215 and the service program 216 via theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 whilespecifying a user name at the destination of delivery of a componentmounting apparatus.

The control section 21 instructs the service providing device 2 toextract a catalog or a specification of the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 while specifying the type of thecomponent mounting apparatus k or a specification condition of thecomponent mounting apparatus k, thereby extracting a catalog or aspecification of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k viathe service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 forthe service providing device 2. The specification conditions of thecomponent mounting apparatus k are a placement tact, a placementaccuracy, a price, a placeable component, and the like.

The control section 21 also instructs the service providing device 2 toextract the electronic file 355 of an instruction manual of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23 while specifying the typeof the component mounting apparatus k so as to extract the electronicfile 355 of an instruction manual of the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k for the service providing device 2 via the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23. The electronicfile 355 of the latest version of an instruction manual is extracted ifotherwise not specified upon retrieval. If an issuance number isspecified, the electronic file 355 of an instruction manual having thespecified issuance number is extracted.

Moreover, the control section 21 instructs the service providing device2 to extract the stock information of the corresponding mending partsnumber via the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23 while specifying a mending parts number so as to extract thestock information of the corresponding mending parts number to theservice providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23. The control section 21 instructs theservice providing device 2 to register the number and the delivery dateof the mending parts to be arranged via the service providing deviceside transmitting/receiving section 23 while specifying a user name anda mending parts number so as to register the number and the deliverydate of the mending parts to be arranged to the service providing device2 via the service providing device side transmitting/receiving section23.

The control section 21 instructs the service providing device 2 toextract the virtual training software 361 of the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 while specifying the type of thecomponent mounting apparatus k so as to extract the virtual trainingsoftware 361 of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k to theservice providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23.

Moreover, the control section 21 instructs the service providing device2 to extract the maintenance information 363 of the correspondingsection of the corresponding component mounting apparatus via theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 whilespecifying the type of the component mounting apparatus k and eachsection of the component mounting apparatus k so as to extract themaintenance information 363 of the corresponding section of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k to the service providingdevice 2 via the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23. Each section of the component mounting apparatus k is theplacement head 4, the XY table 9, the component supplying section 11, orthe like. The maintenance information 363 is composed of the contents ofan error or the contents of an inconvenience occurred in the past and amethod for coping with them. The control section 21 instructs to extractthe electronic file 364 of a maintenance manual of the correspondingcomponent mounting apparatus k while specifying the type of thecomponent mounting apparatus k so as to extract the electronic file 364of a maintenance manual of the corresponding component mountingapparatus k to the service providing device 2 via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23. The maintenance manual isconstituted by information necessary for maintenance such as regularcheck, a control wiring diagram, and a sequence control diagram inaddition to the above-described maintenance information 363. If nototherwise specified upon retrieval, the electronic file 364 of thelatest version of the maintenance manual is extracted. If an issuancenumber is specified, the electronic file 364 of a maintenance manualhaving a specified issuance number is extracted.

The control section 21 instructs to extract the upgrade information 366and the software 367 of the corresponding kind of a software of thecorresponding component mounting apparatus k while specifying the typeof the component mounting apparatus k and the kind of a software so asto extract the upgrade information 366 and the software 367 of thecorresponding kind of a software of the corresponding component mountingapparatus k to the service providing device 2 via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23. As the kinds of asoftware, an operation control software, a positioning software of thecomponent supplying section 11, and the like are cited. The upgradeinformation 366 is composed of the contents of upgrade of a softwareover each version of a software, for example, the contents of eliminatedinconveniences, the contents of improvement in operability or functions,and the like. If not otherwise specified upon retrieval, the software367 of the latest version is extracted. If a version number isspecified, the software 367 of the specified version number isextracted.

Moreover, the control section 21 instructs to extract a componentlibrary of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k of acorresponding shape code while specifying a shape code and the type ofthe component mounting apparatus k so as to extract the componentlibrary of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k of thecorresponding shape code to the service providing device 2 via theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23.Furthermore, the control section 21 instructs to extract a componentlibrary of all shape codes of the corresponding component mountingapparatus k while specifying the type of the component mountingapparatus k so as to extract the component library of all shape codes ofthe corresponding component mounting apparatus k to the serviceproviding device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23. Moreover, the control section 21instructs to extract a component library of the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k of a shape code including in the correspondingclassification while specifying the classification of a component andthe type of the component mounting apparatus k so as to extract thecomponent library of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k ofa shape code included in the corresponding classification. Theclassification includes a classification of components, for example,“rectangular chip,” “QFP,” or the like.

The control section 21 instructs to extract mounting techniqueinformation of corresponding board conditions while specifying boardconditions so as to extract the mounting technique information of thecorresponding board conditions to the service providing device 2 via theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23. Theboard conditions are a material or a thickness of a circuit board, thetype of a component to be mounted, a closely adjacent status of a leadpitch of SOP or QFP, and the like. The mounting technique informationare cream solder information, adhesive information, reflow information,and the like. The cream solder information is information of a material,a viscosity, a temperature, and the like of a cream solder. The adhesiveinformation is information of a material, a viscosity, a temperature,and the like of an adhesive to be applied. The reflow information are atemperature profile, a speed of conveying a board in a; furnace, and thelike.

The control section 21 also instructs to extract the optimizationsoftware 368 of the corresponding component mounting apparatus k whilespecifying the type of the component mounting apparatus k so as toextract the optimization software 368 of the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k to the service providing device 2 via the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23. Theoptimization software 368 performs, for example, the optimization of thecomponent placement order of a single placement machine or thearrangement of the component supplying device 5. If “total optimization”is selected in the type of machine, the control section 301 uses theoptimization software DB 329 for retrieval so that the totaloptimization software 374 for performing the optimization of thecomponent mounting line 100 in total can be retrieved. The totaloptimization software 374 performs the distribution of component to therespective placement machines of the component mounting line 100 inconsideration of the mounting tact balance, the creation of thearrangement of a common component corresponding to the arrangement ofthe component supplying device 5 common to a plurality of types ofproduction, and the optimization of the component placement order ofeach single placement machine or the arrangement of the componentsupplying device 5. Moreover, the control section 21 instructs toextract the mounting tact simulation software 375 of the correspondingcomponent mounting apparatus k while specifying the type of thecomponent mounting apparatus k so as to extract the mounting tactsimulation software 375 of the corresponding component mountingapparatus k to the service providing device 2 via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23. The mounting tactsimulation software 375, for example, reads the NC data 220 of a singleplacement machine so as to perform a theoretical calculation ofplacement time in consideration of a tact loss of a single placementmachine. If “total optimization” is selected for the type of a machine,the total mounting tact simulation software 371 for performing the totalmounting tact simulation of the component mounting line 100 can beretrieved. The total mounting tact simulation software 371 executes atheoretical calculation of the mounting tact balance of the componentmounting line 100 or a theoretical calculation of production time of thetotal types of production for one day.

The control section 21 instructs the execution of the monitoring andanalysis software 372 in the service providing device 2 so as to executethe monitoring and analysis software 372 for the service providingdevice 2 via the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23. The monitoring and analysis software 372 is a software forallowing the service providing device 2 to execute a service formonitoring the quality and an operation status of the component mountingline 100 via the network 60 and further to execute a service foranalyzing the cause of abnormality when the abnormality occurs duringthe monitoring and giving feedback to the component mounting line 100for countermeasure. When the monitoring and analysis software 372 isexecuted in the service providing device 2, the service providing device2 issues an instruction to collect the facility information 211, themounting tact information 213, and the inspection result information 212via the service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23.As a result, the control section 21 collects the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, and the inspection resultinformation 212 from the management device 101 via the management deviceside transmitting/receiving section 20 so as to upload these informationto the service providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23. When the analyzed result isfeedbacked from the service providing device 2 via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23, the control section 21transfers the feedbacked information to the management device 101.

(b) Collection of the Facility Information 211, the Mounting TactInformation 213, the Delivery Result Information 217, and the InspectionResult Information 212

The control section 21 automatically judges the timing of collecting thefacility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, thedelivery result information 217, and the inspection result information212 so as to instruct the management device side transmitting/receivingsection 20 to collect the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the delivery result information 217, and the inspectionresult information 212. Then, the control section 21 receives thefacility information 211 and the mounting tact information 213 of eachcomponent mounting apparatus k from the management device sidetransmitting/receiving section 20 so that the data area 28 of the memorysection 22 stores them for each component mounting apparatus k. Thecontrol section 21 also receives the inspection result information 212of each inspection machine from the management device sidetransmitting/receiving section 20 so that the data area 28 of the memorysection 22 stores it for each inspection machine. Moreover, the controlsection 21 receives the delivery result information 217 of each userfrom the management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 sothat the data area 28 of the memory section 22 stores it for each user.

The timing of automatically collecting the facility information 211, themounting tact information 213, the delivery result information 217, andthe inspection result information 212 can be arbitrarily set. Forexample, the collection may be made for each hour for all factories atthe destination of delivery of component mounting apparatuses at a time.Alternatively, it is determined that the facility information 211, themounting tact information 213, the delivery result information 217, andthe inspection result information 212 for one day are stored in themanagement device 101 of each factory at the destination of delivery ofeach component mounting apparatus, so that these information may becollected for all factories at the destination of delivery of componentmounting apparatuses once a day at a time or at different timing foreach factory at the destination of delivery of component mountingapparatuses. Moreover, other timing may be used. Alternatively, it maybe judged whether the collection is made in the short term or in thelong term depending on urgency of analyzing the quality and an operationstatus. Further alternatively, the facility information 211, themounting tact information 213, the delivery result information 217, andthe inspection result information 212 may be collected by the operationof an operator.

Furthermore, in response to an instruction of uploading the facilityinformation 211, the mounting tact information 213, the delivery resultinformation 217, and the inspection result information 212 from theservice providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23, the control section 21 reads out thefacility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, thedelivery result information 217, and the inspection result information212 from the data area 28 of the memory section 22 so as to transmitthem to the service providing device 2 via the service providing deviceside transmitting/receiving section 23.

(c) Collection and Transmission of the NC Data 220

After collection of the mounting tact information 213, the controlsection 21 instructs the management device side transmitting/receivingsection 20 to collect the NC data 220 of the same produced type as thatof the collected mounting tact information 213 at the same factory atthe destination of delivery of a component mounting apparatus from whichthe mounting tact information 213 is collected. Upon reception of the NCdata 220 instructed from the management device transmitting/receivingsection 20, the data area 28 of the memory section 22 stores the NC data220 for each component mounting apparatus k.

The control section 21 reads out the NC data 220 from the data area 28of the data storage section 22 so as to output the readout NC data 220to the management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 fortransmission to the management device 101 of the corresponding factoryat the destination of delivery of a component mounting apparatus.

In response to an instruction of upload of the NC data 220 from theservice providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23, the control section 21 reads out theNC data 220 from the data area 28 of the memory section 22 so as totransmit it to the service providing device 2 via the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23.

Moreover, in response to the download of the NC data 220 from theservice providing device 2 via the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23, the control section 21 makes the dataarea 28 of the memory section 22 store the NC data 220.

III. Operation of the Entire Service System 380

FIG. 41 shows a schematic data flow of the entire service system 380.

(1) Contract

The service receiving device 1 sets up a mounting WEB screen shown inFIG. 24 on the display section 25. An operator operates the inputsection 24 on the mounting WEB screen to select a menu of “Contract,”the service receiving device 1 consults or updates the contents of acontract to the contract DB 320 of the service providing device 2. Inthis case, the contents of a contract or the result of update aretransmitted to the service receiving device 1. For example, it ispossible to know the level of a contract, the time of update, and thedelivery result. Then, the service receiving device 1 registers thepresence/absence of automatic transmission of the service data 215 andthe service program 216 relating to the type of the component mountingapparatus k having the delivery result on the contract DB 320 of theservice providing device 2.

The service providing device 2 periodically uploads the delivery resultinformation 217 from the service receiving device 1 so as to registerthe delivery result information 217 on the contract DB 320. In responseto an upload request from the service providing device 2, the servicereceiving device 1 uploads the delivery result information 217 from themanagement device 101.

(2) Business Information Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Business information” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receivingdevice 1 consults the business information to the business informationDB 321 of the service providing device 2. For example, an electronicfile of a catalog or a specification of the desired component mountingapparatus k can be fetched in. The service receiving device 1 transfersthe consulted business information to the management device 101 at afactory. As a result, the business information can also be viewed on themanagement device 101 at each factory.

Moreover, in the case where the automatic transmission is registered inthe contract DB 320, the service providing device 2 reads out thebusiness information from the business information DB 320 at the timingof revising the business information so as to automatically transmit thebusiness information to the service receiving device 1.

(3) Electronic Instruction Manual Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Electronic instruction manual” on the mounting WEB screen, the servicereceiving device 1 fetches an electronic file of an instruction manualfrom the electronic instruction manual DB 322 of the service providingdevice 2. The service receiving device 1 transfers the fetchedelectronic file of the instruction manual to the management device 101at a factory. As a result, the instruction manual can also be viewed onthe management device 101 at each factory.

Moreover, in the case where the automatic transmission is registered inthe contract DB 320, the service providing device 2 reads out theelectronic file of the instruction manual from the instruction manual DB322 at the timing of revising the instruction manual so as toautomatically transmit the instruction manual to the service receivingdevice 1.

(4) Mending Parts Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Mending parts” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receiving device1 consults stock information of mending parts to the mending parts DB323 of the service providing device 2. The service receiving device 1transfers the consulted stock information of mending parts to themanagement device 101 of a factory. As a result, the stock informationof mending parts can also be viewed on the management device 101 at eachfactory.

Then, the service receiving device 1 registers the arrangement ofmending parts to the mending parts DB 323 of the service providingdevice 2. More specifically, a mending parts number, the number of themending parts and the delivery date are registered. The result ofregistration if the arrangement is made in accordance with theregistration is transmitted to the service receiving device 1. Theservice receiving device 1 transfers the received result of arrangementof the mending parts to the management device 101 at a factory. As aresult, the result of arrangement of the mending parts can also beviewed on the management device 101 at each factory.

(5) Virtual Training Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Virtual training” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receivingdevice 1 fetches a virtual training software from the virtual trainingDB 324 of the service providing device 2. As a result, the virtualtraining software can be activated on the service receiving device 1 tooffer the virtual training.

Moreover, the service receiving device 1 transfers the fetched virtualtraining software to the management device 101 at a factory. As aresult, the virtual training software can also be activated on themanagement device 101 at each factory so as to offer the virtualtraining. Moreover, the management device 101 transfers the virtualtraining software to the corresponding component mounting apparatus k sothat the virtual training software can be activated on the componentmounting apparatus k so as to offer the virtual training.

(6) Maintenance Information Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Maintenance information” on the mounting WEB screen, the servicereceiving device 1 fetches maintenance information and a maintenancemanual from the maintenance manual DB 325 of the service providingdevice 2. The service receiving device 1 transfers the fetchedmaintenance information and maintenance manual to the management device101 at a factory. As a result, the maintenance information and themaintenance manual can also be viewed on the management device 101 ateach factory.

Moreover, in the case where the automatic transmission is registered inthe contract DB 320, the service providing device 2 reads out themaintenance information from the maintenance information DB 325 at thetiming of revising the maintenance information so as to automaticallytransmit the maintenance information to the service receiving device 1.

(7) Software Upgrade Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Software upgrade” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receivingdevice 1 fetches software upgrade information and a software to beupgraded from the software DB 326 of the service providing device 2. Theservice receiving device 1 transfers the fetched software upgradeinformation and the software to be upgraded to the management device 101at a factory. Moreover, the management device 101 transfers the softwareto be upgraded to the corresponding component mounting apparatus k so asto install the software on the component mounting apparatus k. As aresult, the software upgrade information can be viewed on the managementdevice 101 at each factory so that the component mounting apparatus kcan be operated with a software of the latest version.

Moreover, in the case where the automatic transmission is registered inthe contract DB 320, the service providing device 2 reads out thesoftware from the software information DB 326 at the timing of upgradingthe software so as to automatically transmit the software to the servicereceiving device 1.

(8) Mounted Component Data Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of “Dataof component to be mounted” on the mounting WEB screen, the servicereceiving device 1 fetches the component library 241 from the mountedcomponent DB 327 of the service providing device 2. The servicereceiving device 1 transfers the fetched component library 241 to themanagement device 101 at a factory. Moreover, the management device 101transfers the component library 241 to the corresponding componentmounting apparatus k so as to install the component library on thecomponent mounting apparatus k. As a result, it is possible to eliminatethe man-hour of producing the component library by the operator at afactory.

(9) Technique Data Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Technique data service” on the mounting WEB screen, the servicereceiving device 1 fetches mounting technique information from themounting technique DB 328 of the service providing device 2. The servicereceiving device 1 transfers the fetched mounting technique informationto the management device 101 at a factory. Then, the management device101 transfers the mounting technique information to the correspondingcomponent mounting apparatus k so as to install the mounting techniqueinformation on the component mounting apparatus k. As a result, theoperator of a factory can carry out the cream solder print, theapplication of an adhesive, and the reflow with an optimal techniquemeeting the conditions such as the type of a circuit board.

(10) Optimization Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Optimization” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receiving device1 fetches an optimization software and a mounting tact simulationsoftware from the optimization software DB 329 of the service providingdevice 2. As a result, the optimization software is activated on theservice receiving device 1 so as to perform the optimization of theuploaded NC data 220 of the component mounting apparatus k for theservice receiving device 1. The mounting tact simulation software isactivated on the service receiving device 1 so as to perform themounting tact simulation on the NC data 220 after the optimization,thereby allowing a theoretical value of the mounting tact to beobtained.

The service receiving device 1 transfers the fetched optimizationsoftware and the mounting tact simulation software to the managementdevice 101 at a factory. As a result, the optimization software isactivated on the management device 101 at a factory to allow theoptimization of the uploaded NC data 220. Moreover, the mounting tactsimulation software is activated on the management device 101 at afactory so as to perform the mounting tact simulation on the NC data 220after the optimization, thereby allowing a theoretical value of themounting tact to be obtained.

Moreover, the management device 101 transfers the optimization softwareto the corresponding component mounting apparatus k so as to install onthe component mounting apparatus k. As a result, the optimizationsoftware is activated on the component mounting apparatus k so as toallow the mount production to be performed with the NC data 220 afterthe optimization after performing the optimization of the NC data 220 orwhile performing the optimization.

Furthermore, in the case where the automatic transmission is registeredin the contract DB 320, the service providing device 2 reads out theoptimization software from the optimization software DB 329 at thetiming of updating the optimization software so as to automaticallytransmit the optimization software to the service receiving device 1.

(11) Monitoring and Analysis Service

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Analysis” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receiving device 1requests the service providing device 2 to analyze the cause of atrouble occurred in the component mounting line 100 of its own factoryby the monitoring and analysis software 372. In response to thisrequest, the service providing device 2 activates the monitoring andanalysis software 372 fetched out from the monitoring and analysissoftware DB 330 so as to periodically upload the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, the NC data 220, and theinspection result information 212 to the service receiving device 1 towhich the request has been issued, thereby analyzing the cause of atrouble. If the cause is elucidated as the result of analysis, thecountermeasures for eliminating the cause are feedbacked to the servicereceiving device 1.

When an operator operates the input section 24 to select a menu of“Monitoring” on the mounting WEB screen, the service receiving device 1requests the service providing device 2 to monitor the componentmounting line 100 of its own factory by the monitoring and analysissoftware 372. In response to this request, the service providing device2 activates the monitoring and analysis software 372 fetched out fromthe monitoring and analysis software DB 330 so as to periodically uploadthe facility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, the NCdata 220, and the inspection result information 212 to the servicereceiving device 1 to which the request has been issued, therebymonitoring the production status. If the trouble occurrence is revealedor the symptom of a trouble is revealed as the result of monitoring, thecause of the trouble or the symptom of the trouble is analyzed for theuploaded facility information 211, the mounting tact information 213,the NC data 220, and the inspection result information 212. If the causeis elucidated as the result of analysis, the countermeasures foreliminating the cause are feedbacked to the service receiving device 1.

As the type of monitoring and analysis, there are operation analysis,tact analysis, and quality analysis.

The operation analysis is for monitoring an operation rate of thecomponent mounting line 100 so as to analyze the cause of the loweredoperation rate and perform the feedback for eliminating the cause. Morespecifically, in response to a request of uploading the facilityinformation 211 from the service receiving device 1, the managementdevice 101 uploads the facility information 211 collected by therespective component mounting apparatuses k from the component mountingline 100. In response to a request of uploading the facility information211 from the service providing device 2, the service receiving device 1uploads the facility information 211 from the management device 101. Theservice providing device 2 uploads the facility information 211 from theservice receiving device 1. The service providing device 2 accumulatesthe collected facility information 211 in time series in the facilityinformation DB 30 of the operation quality information DB 51. Theservice providing device 2 analyzes and ascertain the cause of thelowered operation rate in view of the transition of the operation ratefrom the facility information DB 30. Then, the service providing device2 performs the feedback for eliminating the cause on the servicereceiving device 1. For example, if it is due to a defect of thecomponent suction nozzle 7, a mending part is arranged. In the case ofwrong operation of the component mounting apparatus k by an operator,the virtual training software is transmitted to the service receivingdevice 1. In the case of incompletion of the component library 241, theoptimal component library 241 is transmitted to the service receivingdevice 1.

The tact analysis is for monitoring a mounting tact of the componentmounting line 100 so as to ascertain a tact loss to perform feedback foreliminating the tact loss. More specifically, in response to a requestof uploading the NC data 220 from the service receiving device 1, themanagement device 101 uploads the NC data 220 of each component mountingapparatus k from the component mounting line 100. In response to arequest of uploading the mounting tact information 213 and the NC data220 from the service providing device 2, the service receiving device 1uploads the mounting tact information 213 and the NC data 220 from themanagement device 101. The service providing device 2 uploads themounting tact information 213 and the NC data 220 from the servicereceiving device 1. The service providing device 2 perform the mountingtact simulation on the collected NC data 220 to calculate a tact loss soas to accumulate the collected mounting tact information and thecalculated tact loss in the mounting tact DB 32 of the operation qualityinformation DB 51. The service providing device 2 analyzes andascertains the cause of a lowered tact while consulting the mountingtact from the mounting tact DB 32. Then, the service providing device 2gives feedback for eliminating the cause to the service receiving device1. For example, in the case where a tact is lowered due to a movementloss of the XY table 9 of the placement machine n108, the optimizationof the placement order for eliminating the movement loss of the XY table9 is performed on the collected NC data 220. The tact balance is notstruck among the respective placement machines n108, the correction indistribution of components is performed on the collected NC data 220.After the thus optimized NC data 220 undergoes the mounting tactsimulation so as to verify the elimination of reduction in the mountingtact, the NC data 220 after the optimization is feedbacked to theservice receiving device 1. The service receiving device 1 feedbacks theNC data 220 after the optimization to the management device 101. Themanagement device 101 feedbacks the NC data 220 after the optimizationto the respective placement machines n108 of the component mounting line100.

The quality analysis is for monitoring the result of inspection of eachinspection machine in the component mounting line 100 so as to analyzethe cause of a quality defect, thereby giving feedback for eliminatingthe cause of the detect. More specifically, in response to a request ofuploading the inspection result information 212 from the servicereceiving device 1, the management device 101 uploads the inspectionresult information 212 of each inspection machine from the componentmounting line 100. In response to a request of uploading the inspectionresult information 212 from the service providing device 2, the servicereceiving device 1 uploads the inspection result information 212 fromthe service providing device 2. The service providing device 2 uploadsthe inspection result information 212 from the service receiving device1. The service providing device 2 accumulates the collected inspectionresult information 212 in the inspection result DB 32 of the operationquality information DB 51. The service providing device 2 recognizes adefect with the inspection result DB 34 so as to analyze and ascertainthe cause while consulting the facility information DB 30 or theuploaded NC data 220. Then, the service providing device 2 givesfeedback for eliminating the cause to the service receiving device 1.For example, in the case where there is a quality defect of a positionaloffset of a component by inertia force due to a wrongly increased movingspeed of the XY table 9 specified in the component library 241, thecomponent library 241, in which the moving speed of the XY table 9 hasbeen corrected, is feedbacked to the service receiving device 1.

IV. Operations of the Service Receiving Device 1 and the ServiceProviding Device 2

Operations of the service receiving device 1 and the service providingdevice 2 when the service receiving device 1 derives a service from theservice providing device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 42to 66.

(1) Service Contract Flow

A way in which a user at the destination of delivery of a componentmounting apparatus places a contract with and receives a service from amanufacturer supplying a component mounting apparatus will be describedwith reference to flow charts of FIGS. 42 and 43.

(1-1) Step S101 (Contract Level Set at 0)

In FIG. 42, at step S101, in the service receiving device 1, in responseto an instruction from the input section 24 by the operator, the controlsection 21 executes a service receiving program stored in the programarea 27 of the memory section 22. Upon start-up of the service receivingprogram, the control section 21 displays a mounting WEB screen shown inFIG. 24 on the display section 25 in accordance with the contentsinstructed by the service providing program so as to enter a state forprompting an operation for deriving a service from the display section25 or the input section 24. Simultaneously, the control section 21enters a state for prompting the operator to input a user name throughthe display section 25 or the input section 24.

Upon input of the user name, the control section 21 transmits the inputuser name by the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23 via the network 60 to the service providing device 2. In theservice providing device 2, the control section 301 registers the username, which is received by the transmitting/receiving section 305 viathe network 60, on the contract DB 320 of the service information DB 26(at this moment, a user code which has been uniquely assigned to eachuser name is registered along with the user name). Upon registration ofthe user name, the control section 301 automatically sets a contractlevel 0 in the contract DB 320. The control section 301 transmits thecompletion of registration of the user name and setting of the contractlevel 0 by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 tothe service receiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1, thecontrol section 21 receives the completion of registration of the username and setting of the contract level 0 by the service providing deviceside transmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to display amenu of the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24) on the display section 25so that services at the contract level 0 can be selected. Morespecifically, in the state of the contract level 0, on the menu of themounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24), a business information service (stepS103), an electronic instruction manual service (step S104), and amending parts service (step S105) can be selected.

When the contract level 0 is registered, the user is charged for thecontract level 0. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. As a result, instead of charging for each service provision, theuser is periodically charged in a collective manner, for example, by themonth, depending on the level of the contract of services. Therefore, acharging process can be simplified both for the user and for themanufacturer. Moreover, there will be no more inconveniences for theuser in selecting an unnecessary service to be wrongly charged.

Moreover, in order to consider the delivery of a component mountingapparatus, even a user, to whom a component mounting apparatus has notbeen delivered, can derives the service receiving program so as toinstall it on his/her own personal computer by accessing a website ofthe manufacturer supplying a component mounting apparatus on thepersonal computer connected to the Internet. In this case, the servicereceiving program can be activated on the personal computer in which theservice receiving program is installed, so that the personal computercan serve as the service receiving device 1. The mounting WEB screen isstarted up on the service receiving device 1, so that even a user, towhom a component mounting apparatus has not been delivered, can set thecontract level 0 to receive the services including the businessinformation service.

(1-2) Step S102 (Setting of Presence/Absence of Automatic Transmission)

At step S102, in the service receiving device 1, the control section 21prompts the operator to specify the presence/absence of automatictransmission of the service data 215 and the service program 216 (seethe contract DB 320 of FIG. 30) on the display section 25. Upon input ofthe specification of the presence/absence of automatic transmission ofthe service data 215 and the service program 216 from the input section24, the control section 21 transmits the contents of the input by theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 via thenetwork 60 to the service providing device 2. In the service providingdevice 2, the control section 301 registers the specified contents ofthe presence/absence of automatic transmission of the service data 215and the service program 216, which have been received by thetransmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 from the servicereceiving device 1, on the contract DB 320.

For the specification of the presence/absence of automatic transmissionof the service data 215 and the service program 216, it is possible toset to either automatically transmit all the service data 215 and theservice programs 216 in a collective manner or individuallyautomatically transmit each service data 215 and each service program216 specified for, for example, the business information, theinstruction manual, the maintenance information, the softwares, and theoptimization software. The control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges if the service data 215 and the service program 216,which are set to be automatically transmitted, are at the timing ofrevision or update, and if they are at the contract level allowing aservice of interest to be provided, so that the control section 301reads out the revised or updated service data 215 and service program216 from the service information DB 26 at the timing of revision orupdate to be transmitted by the transmitting/receiving section 305 viathe network 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the servicereceiving device 1, upon reception of the service data 215 and theservice program 216 which have been automatically transmitted by theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 via thenetwork 60 from the service providing device 2, the control section 21causes the display section 25 to display the execution of revision orupdate of the received service data 215 and service program 216 so as toperform the display to prompt an input for confirming if the alreadyfetched one is to be replaced by that data or program. In the case wherean input indicating the replacement is effected through the inputsection 24, the replacement is executed.

As a result of this process, the user can immediately replace theservice data 215 or the service program 216 by a new one at the time ofrevision or update with the latest service without particularly checkingthe revision or the update of the service data 215 or the serviceprogram 216 by himself/herself one by one.

For the automatic transmission of the service data 215 or the serviceprogram 216, the control section 301 of the service providing device 2may consult the delivery result accumulated in the contract DB 320 so asto read out only the service data 215 and the service program 216relating to the type of the component mounting apparatus which have beendelivered in the past to that user from the service information DB 26and to transmit them by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via thenetwork 60 to the service receiving device 1. As a result, since theuser can receive only the service data 215 and the service program 216relating to a necessary type of component mounting apparatus, a servicecan be efficiently provided without any loss.

(1-3) Step S103 (Business Information Service)

At step S103, in the service receiving device 1, when a menu of“business information” is selected by the operator, the control section21 transmits an instruction of consulting the business information bythe service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 viathe network 60 to the service providing device 2. Upon reception of theinstruction by the transmitting/receiving section 305, the controlsection 301 consults the business information on the businessinformation DB 321 in the service providing device 2 so as to transmitthe consulted business information by the transmitting/receiving section305 via the network 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the servicereceiving device 1, upon reception of the consulted business informationby the service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23,the control section 21 outputs the business information to the displaysection 25 or transmits the business information by the managementdevice side transmitting/receiving section 20 via the intranet to themanagement device 101 of a corresponding factory.

By consulting the business information, for example, an electronic fileof a catalog or a specification of a desired component mountingapparatus can be fetched in (see the business information DB 321 of FIG.31). As a result, the user can timely examine the latest specificationsof a component mounting apparatus. Alternatively, the user can obtaininformation of the component mounting apparatus which can realizedesired specifications such as a placement tact or a placement accuracy.

Moreover, although not executed at the step S103, in the case where theexecution of collective automatic transmission or automatic transmissionof business information is set in the contract DB 320, the controlsection 301 of the service providing device 2 consults the deliveryresult accumulated in the contract DB 320 so as to judges if thebusiness information relating to the type of the component mountingapparatus which has been delivered in the past to the user has beenrevised or not. As a result of judgment, in the case where the businessinformation has been revised, the control section 301 fetches therevised business information from the business information DB 321 so asto transmit it to the service receiving device 1 by thetransmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60. As a result, theservice receiving device 1 can acquire an electronic file of the latestcatalog or specification of a necessary type of component mountingapparatus at the timing of revision without always inquiring the serviceproviding device 2 if the business information has been revised or not.

Moreover, as the timing of automatic transmission of the businessinformation, the business information may be automatically transmittedat the timing other than that of revision, for example, at the timing ofrelease of a new type of component mounting apparatus, at the timingimmediately before exhibiting the component mounting apparatus on theexhibition, or in a periodical manner (for example, at the beginning ofthe year).

(1-4) Step S104 (Electronic Instruction Manual Service)

At step S104, in the service receiving device 1, when a menu of“Electronic instruction manual” is selected by the operator, the controlsection 21 transmits an instruction of consulting the electronicinstruction manual by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to the serviceproviding device 2. Upon reception of the instruction by thetransmitting/receiving section 305, the control section 301 consults theelectronic file of the instruction manual from the instruction manual DB322 in the service providing device 2 so as to transmit the consultedelectronic file of the instruction manual by the transmitting/receivingsection 305 via the network 60 to the service receiving device 1. In theservice receiving device 1, upon reception of the electronic file of theconsulted instruction manual by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23, the control section 21 outputs theelectronic file of the instruction manual to the display section 25 ortransmits it by the management device side transmitting/receivingsection 20 via the intranet 3 to the management device 101 of acorresponding factory.

As a result, the latest instruction manual of a desired type ofcomponent mounting apparatus can timely be acquired so as to understandthe operation of the component mounting apparatus.

Moreover, although not executed at the step S104, in the case where theexecution of collective automatic transmission or automatic transmissionof the instruction manual is set in the contract DB 320, the controlsection 301 of the service providing device 2 consults the deliveryresult accumulated in the contract DB 320 so as to judges if theinstruction manual relating to the type of component mounting apparatuswhich has been delivered in the past to the user has been revised. Inthe case where the instruction manual has been revised, the controlsection 301 fetches the electronic file of the revised instructionmanual from the instruction manual DB 322 so as to transmit it by thetransmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to the servicereceiving device 1. As a result, the service receiving device 1 canacquire an electronic file of the latest instruction manual of anecessary type of component mounting apparatus at the timing of revisionwithout always inquiring the service providing device 2 if theinstruction manual has been revised or not.

(1-5) Step S105 (Mending Parts Service)

At step S105, when a menu of “Mending parts” is selected by the operatorin the service receiving device 1, the control section 21 transmits aninstruction of consulting stock information of mending parts by theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 via thenetwork 60 to the service providing device 2. In the service providingdevice 2, upon reception of the instruction by thetransmitting/receiving section 305, the control section 301 consults thestock information of mending parts (see FIG. 33) from the mending partsDB 323 so as to transmit the consulted stock information of the mendingparts by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 tothe service receiving device 1. When the consulted stock information ofthe mending parts is received by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 of the service receiving device 1, thecontrol section 21 outputs the stock information of the mending parts tothe display section 25 or transmits the stock information of the mendingparts by the management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 tothe management device 101 of a corresponding factory via the intranet 3.As a result, the user can also view the stock information of the mendingparts on the management device 101 of each factory so as to know thedelivery date of a mending part in the case where the mending part isarranged.

Moreover, in the service receiving device 1, the control section 21causes the display section 25 to perform the display so as to prompt aninput of the arrangement of a mending part. When the arrangement of themending part is input through the input section 24, the contents of thearrangement of the mending part are transmitted by the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to theservice providing device 2. Upon reception of the contents of thearrangement of the mending part by the transmitting/receiving section305, the control section 301 registers the contents of the order of themending part on the mending parts DB 323 in the service providing device2. More specifically, a mending part number, the number thereof, and thedelivery date are registered (see the arrangement information 359 of themending parts DB 323 of FIG. 33). The control section 301 transmits theresult if the arrangement has been placed in accordance with the inputby the user, by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network60 to the service receiving device 1. As a result, the user canprecisely know when the arranged mending part is delivered.

(1-6) Step S106 (Conditions at a Contract Level 1)

At a step S106, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judges ifoperators of the component mounting apparatus k frequently are changedor not. In the case where the operators are frequently changed, acontract level 1 is set at the step S106.

A specific method of judging if the operators of the component mountingapparatus k are frequently changed by the control section 21 of theservice receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the serviceproviding device 2 may be as follows.

For example, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1prompts a reply regarding the absence/presence of changes of theoperator of the component mounting apparatus k to be input on thedisplay section 25. In the case where the contents of the reply inputthrough the input section 24 is “Yes,” the control section 21 may judgethat the operators of the component mounting apparatus k are frequentlychanged.

Alternatively, an operator name of the component mounting apparatus k isregistered on the component mounting apparatus k, the management device101, or the service receiving device 1. The control section 21 of theservice receiving device 1 always checks the operator names registeredfor each component mounting apparatus k. When a new operator name isregistered or it is recognized that the operator names are frequentlychanged, the control section 21 may judge that the operators of thecomponent mounting apparatus k are frequently changed. In such aprocess, when the control section 21 judges the operators of thecomponent mounting apparatus k are frequently changed, the controlsection performs the display indicating the intention of registration ofthe contract level 1 on the display section 25 so as to prompt theconfirmation by the operator of the service receiving device 1.

Alternatively, naturally, not the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 but the operator of the service receiving device 1 judges ifthe operators of the component mounting apparatus k are changed so as toselect the “Contract” menu on the service receiving device 1. Byinputting the contract level 1, the service providing device 2 mayregister the contract level 1 on the contract DB 320.

(1-7) Step S107 (Contract Level Set at 1)

A contract level 1 is input based on the result of judgment by thecontrol section 21 of the service receiving device 1 or the controlsection 301 of the service providing device 2 at the step S106 or byselecting the “Contract” menu by the operator of the service receivingdevice 1, the control section 301 sets the contract level 1 in thecontract DB 320 in the service providing device 2 at the step S107. Thecontrol section 301 transmits the completion of setting of the contractlevel 1 by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 tothe service receiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1, thecontrol section 21 receives the completion of setting of the contractlevel 1 by the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23 via the network 60 to cause the display section 25 to displaya menu of the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24) so that the services ofthe contract level 1 are selectable. More specifically, in the state ofthe contract level 1, on the menu of the mounting WEB screen (see FIG.24), the virtual training service (step S108) can be additionallyselected in addition to the selectable services at the contract level 0.

When the contract level 1 is registered, the user is charged for thecontract level 1. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. Since the contract level 1 allows the service of a higher levelto be derived as compared with the contract level 0, the charged fee isnormally higher than that at the contract level 0.

(1-8) Step S108 (Virtual Training Service)

At step S108, when a menu of “Virtual training” is selected by theoperator in the service receiving device 1, the control section 21transmits an instruction of fetching the virtual training software bythe service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 viathe network 60 to the service providing device 2. Upon reception of theinstruction by the transmitting/receiving section 305, the controlsection 301 fetches the virtual training software from the virtualtraining DB 324 in the service providing device 2 so as to transmit thefetched virtual training software by the transmitting/receiving section305 via the network 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the servicereceiving device 1, upon reception of the fetched virtual trainingsoftware by the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23, the control section 21 outputs the reception to the displaysection 25 so that the virtual training software is stored in theprogram area 27 of the memory section 22. Alternatively, the virtualtraining software is transmitted by the management device sidetransmitting/receiving section 20 via the intranet 3 to the managementdevice 101 of a corresponding factory.

As a result, the virtual training software can be activated on theservice receiving device 1 to offer the virtual training. Moreover, thevirtual training software can be transferred to the management device101 of a factory so as to offer the virtual training on the managementdevice 101 of the factory. Therefore, even in the case where theoperator of the component mounting apparatus k is replaced by a noviceoperator, the novice operator can learn the operation of the componentmounting apparatus k owing to the virtual training so as to avoid atrouble due to wrong operation.

(1-9) Step S109 (Conditions at a Contract Level 2)

At step S109, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judgeswhether it is necessary to improve the maintenance level of the operatorof the component mounting apparatus k. If it is judged as necessary, acontract level 2 is set at step S110.

A specific method, in which the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges whether it is necessary to improve the maintenance levelof the operator of the component mounting apparatus k, may be asfollows.

For example, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1prompts the input of a reply whether it is necessary to improve themaintenance level of the operator of the component mounting apparatus kon the display section 25. In the case where the reply of the inputthrough the input section 24 is “Yes,” the control section 21 may judgethat it is necessary to improve the maintenance level of the operator ofthe component mounting apparatus k.

Alternatively, in each component mounting apparatus k, the frequency ofoccurrence of troubles adversely affecting the production of thecomponent mounting apparatus k is stored in accordance with themaintenance level of the operator of the component mounting apparatus k.Based on the stored contents, the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges whether it is necessary to improve the maintenance levelof the operator of the component mounting apparatus k. In such aprocessing, when the control section 21 judges that it is necessary toimprove the maintenance level of the operator of the component mountingapparatus k, the control section 21 may display the intention ofregistration of the contract level 2 on the display 25 so as to promptthe operator of the service receiving device 1 to confirm it.

Further alternatively, naturally, it may be not the control section 21of the service receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of theservice providing device 2 but the operator of the service receivingdevice 1 that judges whether it is necessary to improve the maintenancelevel of the operator of the component mounting apparatus k so as toselect the “Contract” menu on the service receiving device 1 forinputting the contract level 2. In this manner, the service providingdevice 2 may register the contract level 2 on the contract level DB 320.

(1-10) Step S110 (Contract Level Set at 2)

Based on the result of judgment by the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 at the step S109 or by selecting the “Contract” menu by theoperator of the service receiving device 1 to input the contract level2, the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 sets thecontract level 2 in the contract DB 320 at a step S110. The controlsection 301 transmits the completion of setting of the contract level 2is transmitted by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network60 to the service receiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1,the control section 21 receives the completion of setting of thecontract level 2 by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to display a menuof the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24) on the display section 25 sothat the services of the contract level 2 can be selectable. In thestate of the contract level 2, on the menu of the mounting WEB screen(see FIG. 24), the maintenance information service (step S111) and thesoftware update service (step S112) can be additionally selected inaddition to the services selectable at the contract levels 0 and 1.

Upon registration of the contract level 2, the user is charged for thecontract level 2. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. Since the contract level 2 allows the services of a higher levelto be derived as compared with the contract level 1, the charged fee isnormally set higher than at the contract level 1.

(1-11) Step S111 (Maintenance Information Service)

When a menu of “Maintenance information” is selected by the operator ata step Sill in the service receiving device 1, the control section 21transmits an instruction of consulting the maintenance information bythe service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 viathe network 60 to the service providing device 2. Upon reception of theinstruction by the transmitting/receiving section 305, the controlsection 301 consults the maintenance information (see FIG. 35) to themaintenance information DB 325 in the service providing device 2.Simultaneously, the control section 301 transmits the consultedmaintenance information by the transmitting/receiving section 305 viathe network 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the servicereceiving device 1, upon reception of the consulted maintenanceinformation by the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23, the control section 21 outputs the maintenance informationto the display section 25 or transmits the maintenance information bythe management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 via theintranet 3 to the management device 101 of a corresponding factory.

As a result, the user can also view the maintenance information 363 andthe maintenance manual in a timely manner on the service receivingdevice 1 or on the management device 101 of each factory so as to know amethod of eliminating the inconveniences of the component mountingapparatus k or a maintenance method for preventing the inconveniences.Accordingly, the maintenance level of the operator of the componentmounting apparatus k can be improved.

Although not executed at the step S111, in the case where the executionof collective automatic transmission or automatic transmission of themaintenance information is set and the contract level 2 is set in thecontract DB 320, the control section 301 of the service providing device2 consults the delivery result accumulated in the contract DB 320 so asto judge whether the maintenance information relating to the type ofcomponent mounting apparatus delivered to the user in the past has beenrevised or not. In the case where the maintenance information has beenrevised, the control section 301 fetches the revised maintenanceinformation from the maintenance information DB 325 so as to transmit itby the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to theservice receiving device 1. As a result, it is possible to acquire thelatest maintenance information of a necessary type of component mountingapparatus at the timing of revision in the service receiving device 1without always checking the service providing device 2 if themaintenance information has been revised.

(1-12) Step S112 (Software Update Service)

At a step S112, when a menu of “Software upgrade” is selected by theoperator on the service receiving device 1, the control section 21transmits an instruction of fetching the software upgrade by the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23 via the network60 to the service providing device 2. Upon reception of the instructionby the transmitting/receiving section 305, the control section 301fetches the upgrade information 366 of a software and the latestsoftware 367 from the software DB 326. Simultaneously, the controlsection 301 transmits the fetched upgrade information 366 of thesoftware and the latest software 367 by the transmitting/receivingsection 305 via the network 60 to the service receiving device 1.

In the service receiving device 1, upon reception of the fetched upgradeinformation 366 of the software and the latest software 367 by theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23, thecontrol section 21 outputs the reception of these information and theupgrade information 366 of the software to the display section 25 so asto transmit the upgrade information 366 of the software and the latestsoftware 367 by the management device side transmitting/receivingsection 20 via the intranet 3 to the management device 101 of acorresponding factory.

As a result, the user can view the upgrade information 366 of thesoftware on the service receiving device 1 or on the management device101 of each factory so as to confirm if a later version of the softwarethan that currently operating on the component mounting apparatus kexists. If it exists, it is possible to confirm the contents of upgrade.Moreover, the management device 101 transfers the transferred latestsoftware 367 to the component mounting apparatus k so as to install itthereon. As a result, it is possible to upgrade the component mountingapparatus k so as to be capable of operating with the latest software,thereby executing the maintenance for enhancing the functions of thecomponent mounting apparatus k or for eliminating the inconveniences inthe older version.

Furthermore, although not executed at the step S112, in the case wherethe execution of collective automatic transmission or automatictransmission of the software is set and the contract level 2 is set inthe contract DB 320, the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 consults the delivery result accumulated in the contract DB 320so as to judge whether the revision or the upgrade information 366 ofthe software or the upgrade of the latest software 367 relating to thetype of the component mounting apparatus delivered to the user in thepast has been effected. In the case where the revision or the upgradehas been effected, the revised upgrade information 366 of the softwareor the latest upgraded software 367 is fetched from the software DB 326so as to be transmitted by the transmitting/receiving section 305 viathe network 60 to the service receiving device 1. As a result, it ispossible to acquire the latest upgrade information 366 of the softwareor the latest software 367 of a necessary type of component mountingapparatus at the timing of revision or upgrade without always checkingthe service providing device 2 for the execution of revision of theupgrade information 366 of the software or upgrade of the latestsoftware 367 in the service receiving device 1.

(1-13) Step S113 (Conditions at a Contract Level 3)

At step S113, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judgeswhether support information upon setup of a board is necessary or not.If it is judged as necessary, a contract level 3 is set at step S114.

A specific method, in which the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges whether the support information upon setup of the boardis necessary or not, may be as follows.

For example, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1prompts the input of a reply whether the support information upon setupof the board is necessary or not on the display section 25. In the casewhere the reply of the input through the input section 24 is “Yes,” thecontrol section 21 may judge that the support information upon setup ofthe board is needed.

Alternatively, in each component mounting apparatus k, the frequency ofoccurrence of troubles adversely affecting the production of thecomponent mounting apparatus k due to absence of the support informationupon setup of the board is stored. Based on the stored contents, thecontrol section 21 of the service receiving device 1 or the controlsection 301 of the service providing device 2 judges whether the supportinformation upon setup of the board is necessary or not. In such aprocessing, when the control section 21 judges that the supportinformation upon setup of the board is necessary, the control section 21may display the intention of registration of the contract level 3 on thedisplay 25 so as to prompt the operator of the service receiving device1 to confirm it.

Further alternatively, naturally, it may be not the control section 21of the service receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of theservice providing device 2 but the operator of the service receivingdevice 1 that judges whether the support information upon setup of theboard is necessary or not so as to select the “Contract” menu on theservice receiving device 1 for inputting the contract level 3. In thismanner, the service providing device 2 may register the contract level 3on the contract level DB 320.

(1-14) Step S114 (Contract Level Set at 3)

Based on the result of judgment by the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 at the step S113 or by selecting the “Contract” menu by theoperator of the service receiving device 1 to input the contract level3, the control section 301 sets the contract level 3 in the contract DB320 in the service providing device 2 at step S114. The control section301 transmits the completion of setting of the contract level 3 by thetransmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to the servicereceiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1, the controlsection 21 receives the completion of setting of the contract level 3 bythe service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 viathe network 60 to display a menu of the mounting WEB screen (see FIG.24) on the display section 25 so that the services of the contract level3 can be selectable. In the state of the contract level 3, on the menuof the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24), the mounted component dataservice (step S115) and the technique data service (step S116) can beadditionally selected in addition to the services selectable at thecontract levels 0, 1, and 2.

Upon registration of the contract level 3, the user is charged for thecontract level 3. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. Since the contract level 3 allows the services of a higher levelto be derived as compared with the contract level 2, the charged fee isnormally set higher than at the contract level 2.

(1-15) Step S115 (Mounted Component Data Service)

When a menu of “Data of component to be mounted” is selected by theoperator at step S115 on the service receiving device 1, the controlsection 21 transmits an instruction of fetching the component library241 by the service providing device side transmitting/receiving section23 via the network 60 to the service providing device 2. Upon receptionof the instruction by the transmitting/receiving section 305, in theservice providing device 2, the control section 301 fetches thecomponent library 241 from the mounted component DB 327 and transmitsthe fetched component library 241 by the transmitting/receiving section305 via the network 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the servicereceiving device 1, upon reception of the fetched component library 241by the service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23,the control section 21 outputs the reception of the component library tothe display section 25 or transmits the fetched component library 241 bythe management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 via theintranet 3 to the management device 101 of a corresponding factory.Moreover, the management device 101 installs the transferred componentlibrary 241 on the component mounting apparatus k.

As a result, upon start of the production of a new board, the operatorneeds not create the component library 241 for a new component.Therefore, the number of steps of creating the component library 241 canbe reduced so as to immediately start the production of a new board.Moreover, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an error in thecomponent library 241 due to creation of the component library 241 bythe operator to avoid the occurrence of any mount production troubles orquality troubles.

(1-16) Step S116 (Technique Data Service)

When a menu of “Technique data” is selected by the operator at a stepS116 on the service receiving device 1, the control section 21 transmitsan instruction of fetching the technique data such as cream solderinformation or adhesive information by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to the serviceproviding device 2. Upon reception of the instruction by thetransmitting/receiving section 305, in the service providing device 2,the control section 301 fetches the technique data from the mountingtechnique DB 328. Simultaneously, the control section 301 transmits thefetched technique data by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via thenetwork 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the service receivingdevice 1, upon reception of the fetched technique data by the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23, the controlsection 21 outputs the reception of the technique data to the displaysection 25 and transmits the fetched technique data by the managementdevice side transmitting/receiving section 20 via the intranet 3 to themanagement device 101 of a corresponding factory. Moreover, themanagement device 101 installs the transferred component library on thecomponent mounting apparatus k.

As a result, upon start of the production of a new board, the operatorneed not determine the technique know-how such as the type, atemperature, a viscosity of a cream solder, or the type of adhesive or atemperature profile of reflow through a trial and error process.Therefore, the number of steps for determining the technique know-howthrough a trial and error process can be reduced so as to immediatelystart the production of a new board. Moreover, it is possible to preventthe occurrence of a quality trouble such as defective soldering due toproduction by the operator with an erroneous technique.

(1-17) Step S117 (Conditions at a Contract Level 4)

At step S117, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judgeswhether support for improving the productivity is necessary or not. Ifit is judged as necessary, a control level 4 is set at step S118.

A specific method, in which the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges whether the support for improving the productivity isnecessary or not, may be as follows.

For example, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1prompts the input of a reply whether the support for improving theproductivity is necessary or not on the display section 25. In the casewhere the reply of the input through the input section 24 is “Yes,” thecontrol section 21 may judge the necessity of the support for improvingthe productivity.

Alternatively, in each component mounting apparatus k, the frequency ofoccurrence of troubles adversely affecting the production of thecomponent mounting apparatus k due to absence of the support forimproving the productivity is stored. Based on the stored contents, thecontrol section 21 of the service receiving device 1 or the controlsection 301 of the service providing device 2 judges whether the supportfor improving the productivity is necessary or not. In such aprocessing, when the control section 21 judges that the support forimproving the productivity is necessary, the control section 21 maydisplay the intention of registration of the contract level 4 on thedisplay 25 so as to prompt the operator of the service receiving device1 to confirm it.

Further alternatively, naturally, it may be not the control section 21of the service receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of theservice providing device 2 but the operator of the service receivingdevice 1 that judges whether the support for improving the productivityis necessary or not so as to select the “Contract” menu on the servicereceiving device 1 for inputting the contract level 4. In this manner,the service providing device 2 may register the contract level 4 on thecontract level DB 320.

(1-18) Step S118 (Contract Level Set at 4)

Based on the result of judgment by the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 at the step S117 or by selecting the “Contract” menu by theoperator of the service receiving device 1 to input the contract level4, the control section 301 sets the contract level 4 in the contract DB320 in the service providing device 2 at step S118. The control section310 transmits the completion of setting of the contract level 4 by thetransmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to the servicereceiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1, the controlsection 21 receives the completion of setting of the contract level 4 bythe service providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 viathe network 60 to display a menu of the mounting WEB screen (see FIG.24) on the display section 25 so that the services of the contract level4 can be selectable. In the state of the contract level 4, on the menuof the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24), the optimization service (stepS119) can be additionally selected in addition to the servicesselectable at the contract levels 0 to 3.

Upon registration of the contract level 4, the user is charged for thecontract level 4. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. Since the contract level 4 allows the services of a higher levelto be derived as compared with the contract level 3, the charged fee isnormally set higher than at the contract level 3.

(1-19) Step S119 (Optimization Service)

When a menu of “Optimization” is selected by the operator at step S119on the service receiving device 1, the control section 21 transmits aninstruction of fetching the optimization software such as theoptimization software 368, the total optimization software 374, themounting tact simulation software 375, or the total mounting tactsimulation software 371 by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to the serviceproviding device 2. Upon reception of the instruction by thetransmitting/receiving section 305, in the service providing device 2,the control section 301 fetches the optimization software from theoptimization software DB 329 and transmits the fetched optimizationsoftware by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 tothe service receiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1, uponreception of the fetched optimization software by the service providingdevice side transmitting/receiving section 23, the control section 21outputs the reception of the optimization software to the displaysection 25 so as to make the program area 27 of the memory section 22store the fetched optimization software.

In the service receiving device 1, the control section 21 activates theoptimization software such as the optimization software 368, the totaloptimization software 374, the mounting tact simulation software 375, orthe total mounting tact simulation software 371 from the program area 27of the memory section 22 to perform the optimization of the mountingorder or the simulation of mounting time on the NC data 220 uploadedfrom a factory. As a result, the mounting order is determined to reducea tact loss of the component mounting apparatus k and to reduce themounting time so that the mounting time can be confirmed in the NC data220 after the optimization without actually producing the mountedcircuit boards with the component mounting apparatus k. The optimized NCdata 220 is downloaded to the component mounting apparatus k to realizethe effective production support with a remarkably improved productionefficiency.

Moreover, the control section 21 transmits the optimization software bythe management device side transmitting/receiving section 20 via theintranet 3 to the management device 101 of a corresponding factory. Themanagement device 101 installs the transferred optimization software tothe component mounting apparatus k. As a result, the optimization or themounting tact simulation can be performed in the management device 101or the component mounting apparatus k.

Although not executed at the step S119, in the case where the executionof collective automatic transmission or automatic transmission of theoptimization software is set and the contract level 4 is set in thecontract DB 320, the control section 301 of the service providing device2 consults the delivery result accumulated in the contract DB 320 so asto judge whether the optimization software relating to the type ofcomponent mounting apparatus delivered to the user in the past has beenupdated or not. In the case where the update has been implemented, thecontrol section 301 fetches the updated optimization software from theoptimization software DB 329 so as to transmit the optimization softwareby the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to theservice receiving device 1. As a result, it is possible to acquire theoptimization software of a necessary type of component mountingapparatus at the timing of update in the service receiving device 1without always inquiring the service providing device 2 for theimplementation of update of the optimization software.

(1-20) Step S120 (Conditions at a Contract Level 5)

At step S120, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judgeswhether the analysis and diagnosis at the occurrence of abnormality ofthe component mounting apparatus k is necessary or not. If it is judgedas necessary, a control level 5 is set at a step S121.

A specific method, in which the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges whether the analysis and diagnosis at the occurrence ofabnormality of the component mounting apparatus k is necessary or not,may be as follows.

For example, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1prompts the input of a reply whether the analysis or diagnosis at theoccurrence of abnormality is necessary or not on the display section 25.In the case where the reply of the input through the input section 24 is“Yes,” the control section 21 may judge that the analysis and diagnosisat the occurrence of abnormality of the component mounting apparatus kare needed.

Alternatively, in each component mounting apparatus k, the frequency ofoccurrence of troubles adversely affecting the production of thecomponent mounting apparatus k due to absence of the analysis anddiagnosis at the occurrence of abnormality in the component mountingapparatus k is stored. Based on the stored contents, the control section21 of the service receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of theservice providing device 2 judges whether the analysis and diagnosis atthe occurrence of abnormality in the component mounting apparatus k isnecessary or not. In such a processing, when it is judged that theanalysis and diagnosis at the occurrence of abnormality in the componentmounting apparatus k is necessary, the control section 21 may displaythe intention of registration of the contract level 5 on the displaysection 25 so as to prompt the operator of the service receiving device1 to confirm it.

Further alternatively, naturally, it may be not the control section 21of the service receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of theservice providing device 2 but the operator of the service receivingdevice 1 that judges whether the analysis and diagnosis at theoccurrence of abnormality in the component mounting apparatus k isnecessary or not so as to select the “Contract” menu on the servicereceiving device 1 for inputting the contract level 5. In this manner,the service providing device 2 may register the contract level 5 on thecontract level DB 320.

(1-21) Step S121 (Contract Level Set at 5)

Based on the result of judgment by the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 at the step S120 or by selecting the “Contract” menu by theoperator of the service receiving device 1 to input the contract level5, the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 sets thecontract level 5 in the contract DB 320 to the contract DB 320 at stepS121. The control section 310 transmits the completion of setting of thecontract level 5 by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via thenetwork 60 to the service receiving device 1. In the service receivingdevice 1, the control section 21 receives the completion of setting ofthe contract level 5 by the service providing device sidetransmitting/receiving section 23 via the network 60 to display a menuof the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24) on the display section 25 sothat the services of the contract level 5 can be selectable. In thestate of the contract level 5, on the menu of the mounting WEB screen(see FIG. 24), the analysis service (step S122) can be additionallyselected in addition to the services selectable at the contract levels 0to 4.

Upon registration of the contract level 5, the user is charged for thecontract level 5. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. Since the contract level 5 allows the services of a higher levelto be derived as compared with the contract level 4, the charged fee isnormally set higher than at the contract level 4.

(1-22) Step S122 (Analysis Service)

When a menu of “Analysis” is selected by the operator at step S122 onthe service receiving device 1, the control section 21 causes thedisplay section 25 to display so as to prompt the contents ofabnormality to be input. When the contents of abnormality are inputthrough the input section 24, the control section 21 transmits aninstruction of analyzing the contents of abnormality by the serviceproviding device side transmitting/receiving section 23 via the network60 to the service providing device 2. This instruction is received bythe transmitting/receiving section 305 in the service providing device2. In response to this request, the control section 301 fetches andactivates the monitoring and analysis software 372 from the monitoringand analysis software DB 330. As a result, the control section 301periodically transmits a request of uploading the facility information211, the mounting tact information 213, the NC data 220 and theinspection result information 212 in accordance with a procedure of themonitoring and analysis software 372 via the network 60 to the servicereceiving device 1. Based on the uploaded facility information 211,mounting tact information 213, NC data 220, and inspection resultinformation 212, the control section 301 analyzes the abnormality.

This analysis procedure will be described below in detail. The result ofanalysis is feedbacked to the service receiving device 1. This feedbackis given from the service receiving device 1 to the management device101 and then from the management device 101 to the component mountingapparatus k. As a result, the cause of abnormality occurred in thecomponent mounting apparatus k is immediately ascertained to accuratelyimplement the countermeasures against it. Thus, it is ensured that theabnormality is eliminated with a high response.

(1-23) Step S123 (Conditions at a Contract Level 6)

At step S123, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judgeswhether it is necessary to monitor a state of the component mountingapparatus k or not. If it is judged as necessary, a contract level 6 isset at step S124.

A specific method, in which the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 judges whether it is necessary to monitor a state of thecomponent mounting apparatus k, may be as follows.

For example, the control section 21 of the service receiving device 1prompts the input of a reply whether it is necessary to monitor a stateof the component mounting apparatus k or not on the display section 25.In the case where the reply of the input through the input section 24 is“Yes,” the control section 21 may judge that it is necessary to monitora state of the component mounting apparatus k.

Alternatively, in each component mounting apparatus k, the frequency ofoccurrence of troubles adversely affecting the production of thecomponent mounting apparatus k due to absence of the monitoring of astate of the component mounting apparatus k is stored. Based on thestored contents, the control section 21 of the service receiving device1 or the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 judgeswhether it is necessary to monitor a state of the component mount k ornot. In such a processing, when it is judged that it is necessary tomonitor a state of the component mounting apparatus k, the controlsection 21 may display the intention of registration of the contractlevel 6 on the display 25 so as to prompt the operator of the servicereceiving device 1 to confirm it.

Further alternatively, naturally, it may be not the control section 21of the service receiving device 1 or the control section 301 of theservice providing device 2 but the operator of the service receivingdevice 1 that judges whether it is necessary to monitor a state of thecomponent mounting apparatus k so as to select the “Contract” menu onthe service receiving device 1 for inputting the contract level 6. Inthis manner, the service providing device 2 may register the contractlevel 6 on the contract level DB 320.

(1-24) Step S124 (Contract Level Set at 6)

Based on the result of judgment by the control section 21 of the servicereceiving device 1 or the control section 301 of the service providingdevice 2 at the step S123 or by selecting the “Contract” menu by theoperator of the service receiving device 1 to input the contract level6, the control section 301 of the service providing device 2 sets thecontract level 6 in the contract DB 320 at step S124. The controlsection 301 transmits the completion of setting of the contract level 6by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to theservice receiving device 1. In the service receiving device 1, thecontrol section 21 receives the completion of setting of the contractlevel 6 by the service providing device side transmitting/receivingsection 23 via the network 60 to display a menu of the mounting WEBscreen (see FIG. 24) on the display section 25 so that the services ofthe contract level 6 can be selectable. In the state of the contractlevel 6, on the menu of the mounting WEB screen (see FIG. 24), themonitoring service (step S125) can be additionally selected in additionto the services selectable at the contract levels 0 to 5.

Upon registration of the contract level 6, the user is charged for thecontract level 6. The user is periodically charged, for example, by themonth. Since the contract level 6 allows the services of a higher levelto be derived as compared with the contract level 5, the charged fee isnormally set higher than at the contract level 5.

(1-25) Step S125 (Monitoring Service)

When a menu of “Monitoring” is selected by the operator at a step S125on the service receiving device 1, the control section 21 transmits aninstruction of monitoring and analyzing the component mounting line 100of its own factory with the monitoring and analysis software 372 by theservice providing device side transmitting/receiving section 23 via thenetwork 60 to the service providing device 2. Upon reception of theinstruction by the transmitting/receiving section 305, in the serviceproviding device 2, the control section 301 reads and activates themonitoring and analysis software 372 from the monitoring and analysissoftware DB 330 in response to this request. As a result, in accordancewith a procedure of the monitoring and analysis software 372, thecontrol section 301 periodically transmits a request of uploading thefacility information 211, the mounting tact information 213, the NC data220, and the inspection result information 212 by thetransmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 to the servicereceiving device 1. Based on the uploaded facility information 211,mounting tact information 213, NC data 220, and inspection resultinformation 212, the control section 301 monitors a production status.

If any problem is found as the result of monitoring, the control section301 analyzes the cause of the problem and feedbacks the result ofanalysis by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60 tothe service receiving device 1. This monitoring analysis procedure willbe described below in detail. The result of analysis of abnormalityfound after monitoring and analysis of a tendency before the occurrenceof abnormality is feedbacked to the service receiving device 1. Thisfeedback is implemented from the service receiving device 1 to themanagement device 101 and then from the management device 101 to thecomponent mounting apparatus k.

As a result, the abnormality can be immediately found in the componentmounting apparatus k or a state immediately before the occurrence ofabnormality can be found to immediately ascertain the cause and toaccurately implement the countermeasures against it. Therefore, it isensured to eliminate the abnormality or prevent the abnormality with ahigh response.

(2) Operation of the Monitoring and Analysis Service

The monitoring and analysis service is carried out by the controlsection 301 executing the monitoring and analysis software 372 in theservice providing device 2 to perform the control in accordance with theprocedure of the monitoring and analysis software 372. The monitoringand analysis software 372 includes a monitoring software and an analysissoftware. In the case where both the monitoring and analysis are to beexecuted, the monitoring software and the analysis software are executedin this order.

Upon execution of the monitoring software, the control section 301periodically collects the facility information 211, the mounting tactinformation 213, the NC data 220, and the inspection result information211 by the transmitting/receiving section 305 via the network 60. Thecontrol section accumulates the collected facility information 211, themounting tact information 213, and the NC data 220 in the operationquality information DB 51. The control section 301 creates a graph formonitoring an operation status or a quality status based on the datacollected and accumulated in the operation quality information DB 51 soas to display the graph on a display section 307. As a result, theoccurrence of abnormality is immediately found so as to facilitate theanalysis of the abnormality.

Upon execution of the analysis software, the control section 301analyses the contents of abnormality which are revealed as a result ofmonitoring or are input through the service receiving device 1 so as tosearch the cause thereof. When the cause is found, the feedback foreliminating the cause is given by the transmitting/receiving section 305via the network 60 to the service receiving device 1.

In this embodiment, the monitoring and analysis software 372 areexecuted in the service providing device 2 so as to perform themonitoring and analysis. Then, the graph is displayed on the displaysection 307 of the service providing device 2 to give the feedback fromthe service providing device 2. However, it is not limited thereto. Forexample, the monitoring and analysis software 372 may be installed fromthe service providing device 2 via the network 60 to the servicereceiving device 1 so as to execute the monitoring and analysis software372 in the service receiving device 1, thereby displaying the graph onthe display section 25 of the service receiving device 1. Then, thefeedback may be given from the service receiving device 1 to themanagement device 101 of each factory.

Among the monitoring and analysis services, a detailed processingprocedure of the operation for performing the graph display of themonitoring and analysis and the operation for monitoring the graphdisplay and analyzing the abnormality will be described below.

(2-1) Operation of Graph Display of Monitoring and Analysis

The operation of graph display of the monitoring and analysis of theservice providing device 2 will be described using flow charts of FIGS.44A to 44C.

(a) Operation of Graph Display of Line Operation Rate TransitionAnalysis

FIG. 44A shows a flow chart of an operation of line operation ratetransition analysis. The line operation rate represents an operationrate of the entire component mounting line 100; for example, anoperation rate of a bottleneck component mounting apparatus which is acomponent mounting apparatus having the largest mounting tact resultvalue in the component mounting line 100 is considered as a lineoperation rate.

As shown in the drawing, the control section 301 reads a mounting tactresult value of each product type of all component mounting apparatusesk of a specified factory at the destination of delivery of the componentmounting apparatus from the mounting tact DB 32 of the operation qualityinformation DB 51 (Step S201) so as to judge which component mountingapparatus k of each product type is a bottleneck component mountingapparatus (a component mounting apparatus having the largest mountingtact result value in the component mounting line 100) (Step S202). Next,the operation rate of the bottleneck component mounting apparatuscorresponding to production time of the product type, which is judgedfor each product type described above in the specified factory at thedestination of delivery of the component mounting apparatus, is fetchedout from the facility information DB 30 of the operation qualityinformation DB 51 (step S203) so as to display the line operation ratetransition on the display section 307 as a graph (Step S204).

If, for example, the operator of the service providing device 2 performsan input operation for displaying the details of shutdown time for thepurpose of analyzing the cause of a lowered line operation rate (StepS205), the facility information 31 of each component mounting apparatusk at a specified factory of the destination of delivery of a componentmounting apparatus is read for each hour from the facility informationDB 30 of the operation quality information DB 51 (Step s206). Then, thebreakdown of shutdown time for each component mounting apparatus k, thatis, P-plate waiting time, trouble shutdown time, maintenance time, andthe like are displayed for each period of time (step S207).

(b) Operation of Graph Display of Line Mounting Tact Analysis

FIG. 44B shows a flow chart of an operation of graph display of linemounting tact analysis. The line mounting tact represents a mountingtact of the entire component mounting line 100; for example, the largestmounting tact result value among the mounting tact result values of therespective component mounting apparatuses k of the component mountingline 100 is considered as a line component tact.

As shown in the drawing, the control section 301 reads the mounting tactinformation 33 of the specified product type of all component mountingapparatuses k of the specified factory at destination of delivery of acomponent mounting apparatus from the mounting tact DB 32 of theoperation quality information DB 51 (step S221) to arrange the mountingtact result values of the respective component mounting apparatuses k soas to clarify the tact balance, thereby performing the graph display onthe display section 307 (step S222). Then, as the breakdown of themounting tact result values of the respective component mountingapparatuses k which are displayed on the graph, for example, in the caseof the placement machine n108, the XY table movement loss and thecomponent supplying device movement loss of each placement machine n108are simultaneously displayed.

(c) Operation of Graph Display of Suction Rate Transition Analysis

FIG. 44C shows a flow chart of an operation of graph display of suctionrate transition analysis. The control section 301 fetches suction ratesof all placement machines at a specified factory of destination ofdelivery of the component mounting apparatus from the facilityinformation DB 30 of the operation quality information DB 51 (step S241)so as to display a transition in suction rate of each placement machinen108 on the display section 307 as a graph (step S242).

(d) Operation of Graph Display of Inspection Result Defective RateTransition Analysis

Although not illustrated, the control section 301 displays a transitionin rate of occurrence of NG as the result of inspection on the displaysection 307 as a graph in the same manner as in FIGS. 44A to 44C. Forexample, the rate of occurrence of NG may be a rate of occurrence of NGeven for a point on one circuit board or may be a rate of occurrence ofNG in each component to be mounted.

Alternatively, as the details of a status of occurrence of a defect, thecontrol section 301 displays the breakdown of NG of the result ofinspection on the display section 307 as a graph. For example, in theresult of inspection for each time period or product type, a ratio offrequency of occurrence of each of a placement offset of a component, amissing component, bridge, poor soldering connection, and the like isdisplayed as a graph. For example, it is displayed which one of theplacement offset of a component, a missing component, bridge, poorsoldering connection and the like corresponds to the breakdown of adefect of each circuit board or with a specified circuit number.

(2-2) Operation of Monitoring and Analysis

An operation of monitoring and analysis will be described using flowcharts of FIGS. 45 and 56. Although the following operation ofmonitoring and analysis will be described for an example where themonitoring and analysis is performed on the placement machine n108, itis not limited thereto. The monitoring and analysis may be performed onthe component mounting apparatus k other than the placement machine n108in the same concept.

It is the operator of the service providing device 2 that performs anoperation of monitoring and analysis. The operator of the serviceproviding device 2 may check the displayed graph of an operation statusas described above from various aspects to narrow down the problem so asto pursue the cause. In addition to this, however, the control section301 of the service providing device 2 is capable of not only displayingthe graph of an operation status as described above, but also internallychecking the data for displaying the graph of an operation status fromvarious aspects to narrow down the problem so as to pursue the cause. Ina procedure of monitoring and analysis described below, it may be any ofthe operator of the service providing device 2 and the control section301 of the service providing device 2 that performs the monitoring andanalysis.

In FIG. 45, in view of the graph showing the line operation ratetransition, it is monitored if the line operation rate maintains atarget value or higher (step S300). For example, FIG. 47A shows thedisplay of the line operation rate of the component mounting line 100while specifying the destination of delivery of a component mountingapparatus. The abscissa represents time, whereas the ordinate the lineoperation rate. The line operation rate for each time is represented onthe graph. A line 40 indicates a target value of the line operationrate. On this graph, the target value 40 of the line operation rate isset at 73%. According to this graph, the line operation rate transitswhile maintaining the target value or higher. Herein, the target value40 of the line operation rate is stored in advance in the operationquality information DB 51 of the service providing device 2.

A processing in the case where the line operation rate does not transitwhile maintaining the target value or higher will be described belowusing FIG. 46.

After monitoring the line operation rate, in view of the graph of theline mounting tact in a specified product type in the same componentmounting line 100, it is monitored if the line mounting tact maintainsthe target value or lower (step S301). FIG. 47B shows an example wherethe line mounting tact is displayed as a graph. The graph shown in FIG.47B is for the same component mounting line 100 as that for the graphshown in FIG. 47A. The abscissa represents a placement machine, whereasthe ordinate represents a placement tact result value, indicating aplacement tact result value of each placement machine n108 of thecomponent mounting line 100. As the breakdown of the placement tactresult value, the standard mounting tact, the XY table movement loss (XYloss), and the component supplying device movement loss (Z loss) areshown as a graph. A line 41 indicates a target value of the linemounting tact. According to this graph, a mounting tact is later than atarget value. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S302. Herein, thetarget value 41 of the line mounting tact is stored in advance in theoperation quality information DB 51 of the service providing device 2.

Next, on the graph of the line mounting tact displayed at the step S301,it is monitored if the standard placement tacts of all placementmachines are not above the target value of the line mounting tact (stepS302). Since there is no placement machine n108 having the standardplacement tact above the target value of the line mounting tact in FIG.47B, the process proceeds to step S303.

Next, on the graph of the line mounting tact displayed at the step S301,it is monitored if the line tact balance is within the allowable range(step S303). The allowable range of the line tact balance is present inthe operation quality information DB 51. As an example, the allowablerange is set to be within 5% of a mean value of each placement machinen108. Since a difference 42 in placement tact result value between aplacement machine 1 serving as a bottleneck placement machine asdescribed above and a placement machine 2 having the smallest placementtact result value exceeds an allowable range 43 of the line tact balancein FIG. 47B, the process proceeds to step S304.

Next, on the graph of the line mounting tact displayed at the step S301,it is monitored if the tact loss of the bottleneck placement machine iswithin the allowable range (step S304). The allowable range of the tactloss is present in the operation quality information DB 51. As anexample, the allowable range is set to be within 5% of the standardmounting tact. In FIG. 47B, it is understood that a tact loss 44 of theplacement machine 1 serving as a bottleneck placement machine exceeds anallowable range 45 of the tact loss. In examples of FIGS. 47A and 47B,the line mounting tact is later than the target value due to the excessof the tact loss of the placement machine 1 serving as a bottleneckplacement machine from the allowable range 45. Therefore, this tact lossmust be eliminated. In this case, the process proceeds to step S305.

Next, in the product type in the cause of analysis, it is judged if thecomponent supplying device 5 is fixed at the same position as that ofthe previous type (common component arrangement) (step S305). A judgmentmethod may be for checking if the arrangement of the component supplyingdevice 5 is the same as that of the previous product type based on theNC data 220 (the arrangement program 231) or for collecting flagsindicating if it is the common component arrangement or not, which isset in the placement machine n108 and the management device 101, by theservice receiving device 1 together with the facility information 211 toperform the judgment in view of the collected flags.

In the case where the component supplying device 5 is not fixedlyarranged but is freely arranged, the optimization of a single placementmachine is carried out to eliminate the tact loss of the bottleneckplacement machine so as to lower the line mounting tact below the targetvalue (step S306). In this case, the arrangement of the componentsupplying device 5 and the placement order are both optimized. Thedetails will be described below.

On the other hand, in the case where the arrangement of the componentsupplying device 5 is fixed, first, the optimization for eliminating thetact loss of the bottleneck placement machine is performed on a singleplacement machine. This serves as the optimization of the placementorder under the condition where the arrangement of the componentsupplying device 5 is fixed. As a result, if the line mounting tact islowered to the target value or lower, the optimization is completed. Ifthe mounting tact is not lowered to the target value or lower, theoptimization for reviewing the common arrangement of the componentsupplying device 5 (step S307). The details thereof will be describedbelow.

At a step S304, as shown in FIG. 48B, in the case where the tact loss 44of the placement machine 1 serving as the bottleneck placement machinefalls within the allowable range 45 of the tact loss, it means thatthere is a problem with the distribution of components to each placementmounting apparatus n108. In this case, it is necessary to correct thedistribution. Thus, the process proceeds to a step S308.

At the step S308, in the product type in the course of analysis, it isjudged whether the component supplying device 5 is fixed at the sameposition as the previous type (the common component arrangement). Amethod of judgment is similar to that at the step S305.

In the case where the component supplying device 5 is freely arranged,the operation for redistributing the components to each placementmachine n108 is performed in order to eliminate the line tact unbalanceto lower the line mounting tact to the target value or lower (stepS309). In this case, after redistribution of the components, the singleplacement machine optimization for optimizing both the arrangement ofthe component supplying device 5 and the placement order is performed oneach placement machine n108. The details thereof will be describedbelow.

On the other hand, in the case where the component supplying device 5 isfixedly arranged, the optimization for reviewing the common arrangementof the component supplying device 5 (step S310). Naturally, in thiscase, the optimization for redistributing the components to eachplacement machine n108 is also performed. The details thereof will bedescribed below.

At a step S303, as shown in FIG. 49B, in the case where the line tactbalance is struck, the line mounting tact becomes larger than the targetvalue due to a tact loss of each placement machine. Therefore, the linetact balance is obtained due to a large tact loss of each placementmachine. It is necessary to perform the optimization for eliminatingthis tact loss of each placement machine. Thus, the process proceeds tostep S311.

At the step S311, in the product type in the course of analysis, it isjudged whether the component supplying device 5 is fixed at the sameposition as that of the previous type (common component arrangement). Ajudgment method is similar to that of the step S305.

In the case where the component supplying device 5 is freely arranged,the single placement machine optimization is performed in each placementmachine in order to eliminate the tact loss of each placement machinen108 to lower the line mounting tact to the target value or lower (stepS312). The optimization for both the arrangement of the componentsupplying device 5 and the placement order is performed. The detailsthereof will be described below.

On the other hand, in the case where the component supplying device 5 isfixedly arranged, the single placement machine optimization is firstperformed in each placement machine n108 so as to eliminate the tactloss of each placement machine. This serves as the optimization of theplacement order under the condition where the component supplying device5 is fixedly arranged. If the line mounting tact can be lowered to thetarget value or lower by this optimization, the optimization iscompleted. If the line mounting tact is not lowered to the target valueor lower, the optimization for reviewing the common arrangement of thecomponent supplying device 5 is performed (step S313). The detailsthereof will be described below.

At the step S302, in the case where the standard mounting tact of allplacement machines is the target value 41 of the line mounting tact orhigher as shown in FIG. 50B, it is considered that it is impossible tolower the line mounting tact to the target value or lower with thisconfiguration of the component mounting line 100, thereby proposing aconfiguration of the component mounting line 100.

A process in the case where the line operation rate is lowered at thestep 300 will be described using a flow chart of FIG. 46.

In FIG. 51A, the line operation rate is below the target value between15 o'clock to 20 o'clock. In order to examine this cause, the breakdownof shutdown time of the placement machine 1 serving as a bottleneckplacement machine between 15 o'clock to 20 o'clock is displayed as agraph as shown in FIG. 51B. In the drawing, the abscissa representstime, whereas the ordinate represents shutdown time, displaying thebreakdown of shutdown time for each hour. In view of the drawing, it isunderstood that the amount of type switching time is large between 15o'clock to 20 o'clock (step S315). Therefore, since the lowered lineoperation rate is due to a large amount of type switching time, theprocess proceeds to step S316 in order to perform the optimization forreducing the amount of type switching time.

At the step S316, the optimization of the common arrangement of thecomponent supplying device 5 is executed to obtain theoretical values ofthe line mounting tact in each product type and the type switching timebetween each product type through the tact simulation for examination.The details thereof will be described below.

The example where the line operation rate is lowered in the case wherethe amount of type switching time is large in the bottleneck placementmachine has been described above. However, even in the placement machineother than the bottleneck placement machine, in the case where theamount of type switching time becomes large in any of the placementmachines constituting the component mounting line 100, the amount ofshutdown time of the bottleneck placement machine is increased due tothe effect (for example, in the case where the type is switched for theentire line at a time, at the beginning of next production after thecompletion of the type switching for all placement machines). As aresult, the line operation rate may be lowered.

Next, in an example of FIG. 52A, the line operation rate is below thetarget value after 20 o'clock. In order to examine the cause for this,the transition in suction rate of the component suction nozzle 7 of theplacement machine 1 serving as a bottleneck placement machine isdisplayed as shown in FIG. 52B. Then, it is understood that the suctionrate is below a target value 46 (the target value of the suction rate ispreset to 99.99% in the operation quality information DB 51 of theservice providing device 2) after 20 o'clock (step S317). As a result,it is revealed that the lowered line operation rate is due to thelowered suction rate. Therefore, the cause of the lowered suction rateof the placement machine 1 is further analyzed.

First, a transition in suction rate for each kind of the componentsuction nozzle 7 of the placement machine 1 is examined (although notshown in the facility information 211 of FIG. 22, a suction rate foreach type of the component suction nozzle 7 is collected from eachplacement machine n108). If a suction rate is lowered only for thespecific component suction nozzle 7 (step S318), it is due to occurrenceof a defect in the suction nozzle 7. In this case, a message is sent tothe management device 101 of a corresponding factory at the destinationof delivery of the component mounting apparatus so as to replace thesuction nozzle 7. If necessary, the arrangement for shipping thecomponent suction nozzle 7 as a mending part to a corresponding factoryat the destination of delivery of the component is registered on themending parts DB 323 in the service information DB 26 (step S319).

Next, a transition in suction rate for each kind of the componentsupplying device 5 (for example, a parts cassette) of the placementmachine 1 is examined (the transition is also collected as one data inthe facility information 211). If only a suction rate of the specificcomponent supplying device 5 is lowered (step S320), it is due tooccurrence of a defect in that component supplying device 5. In thiscase, a message is sent to the management device 101 of a correspondingfactory at the destination of delivery of the component mountingapparatus so as to replace that component supplying device 5. Ifnecessary, the arrangement for shipping the component supplying device 5as a mending part to a corresponding factory at the destination ofdelivery of the component is registered on the mending parts DB 323 inthe service information DB 26 (step S321).

Moreover, the line mounting tact in a corresponding product type isexamined. In an example of FIG. 53A, the line operation rate is loweredbetween 20 o'clock and 22 o'clock. FIG. 53B shows the display of theline mounting tact in the corresponding product type of that timeperiod. In the drawing, the movement loss (Z loss) of the componentsupplying device 5 of the placement machine 1 serving as the bottleneckplacement machine is large (step S322). This means that the amount ofmovement of the component supplying device 5 is large. As a result, thevibration of the component supplying section 11 is increased, which hasthe effect on the lowered suction rate. In this case, the singleplacement machine optimization is performed for the placement machine 1so as to eliminate the movement loss of the component supplying device 5(step S323). The details thereof will be described below.

The example where the line operation rate is lowered due to the loweredsuction rate of the component suction nozzle 7 in the bottleneckplacement machine has been described above. However, even in theplacement machine n108 other than the bottleneck placement machine, inthe case where the suction rate of the component suction nozzle 7 islowered in any placement machine n108 constituting the componentmounting line 100, the amount of shutdown time of the bottleneckplacement machine is increased due to effects thereof. For example, inthe case where the bottleneck placement machine is situated at thedownstream of the placement machine n108 having a lowered suction rate,the amount of shutdown time for waiting a P plate (waiting theconveyance of a circuit board) is increased. In the case where thebottleneck placement machine is situated at the upstream of theplacement machine n108 having a lowered suction rate, the amount ofshutdown time due to jammed downstream where a circuit board is stoppedat the downstream (a kind of P-plate waiting) is increased. As a result,the line operation rate may be lowered.

Next, also in an example of FIG. 54A, the line operation rate is loweredbetween 20 o'clock to 22 o'clock. In order to examine the cause, thebreakdown of shutdown time of the placement machine 1 serving as abottleneck placement machine between 20 o'clock and 22 o'clock isdisplayed as a graph as shown in FIG. 54B. From the drawing, the amountof shutdown time due to a trouble is increased between 20 o'clock and 22o'clock. It is revealed that the line operation rate is lowered due toan increased amount of shutdown time due to a trouble. Therefore, thecause of an increased amount of shutdown time of the placement machine 1due to a trouble is analyzed.

First, a transition in the frequency of occurrence of wrong operationsis examined (although not displayed in the facility information 211 ofFIG. 22, it is assumed that each placement machine n108 detects a wrongoperation and collects the frequency of occurrence of wrong operations).If the frequency of wrong operations of the placement machine 1 between20 o'clock and 22 o'clock is increased, the wrong operation of theoperator leads to a lowered line operation rate (step S324). In thiscase, a message indicating that the wrong operation of the operatorleads to a lowered line operation rate is sent to the management device101 of a corresponding factory at the destination of delivery of thecomponent mounting apparatus. If necessary, the electronic file 355 ofthe instruction manual of the placement machine 1 is fetched out fromthe instruction manual DB 322 in the service information DB 26 so as totransfer the fetched electronic file 355 of the instruction manual ofthe placement machine 1 to the management device 101. Moreover, thevirtual training software 361 for the placement machine 1 is fetched outfrom the virtual training DB 324 in the service information DB 26. Thefetched virtual training software 361 is activated so as to offer thevirtual training on the operator by remote processing using a displaysection of the management device 101 of a factory at the destination ofdelivery of the component mounting apparatus or the placement machine 1(step S325). This virtual training is performed for an operation inwhich an error occurs, in accordance with the contents of wrongoperation (assumed to be collected as the facility information 211 andwritten in the facility information DB 30). In the facility informationDB 30, the data relating to operator shifts is also written. It ispossible to analyze if the wrong operation occurs on a specific shift.If the wrong operation occurs in a specific shift time period, that is,with a specific operator, as a result of analysis, countermeasures for aspecified operator can be taken such as offering the virtual training onthat operator.

Next, the version of the software of the placement machine 1 isinspected (although not displayed in the facility information 211 ofFIG. 22, it is assumed that the version information of the software ofeach placement machine n108 is collected as the facility information 211and is stored in the operation quality information DB 51). Then, it isconfirmed if the current version of the software of the placementmachine 1 is the latest one or not while consulting the upgradeinformation 366 of the software DB 326 in the service information DB 26.In the case where the current software of the placement machine 1 is notthe latest one, it is possible to examine the contents of upgrade or bugpatch information in each version from history data of each version ofthe software of each placement machine n108 stored in the upgradeinformation 366. As a result, if it is revealed that an unpatched bugremains in the version of the software of the placement machine 1 whichis the corresponding placement machine, leading to shutdown due to atrouble, the old version of the software causes the shutdown due to atrouble, that is, a lowered line operation rate (step S326). In thiscase, the latest version of the software 367 of a correspondingplacement machine is fetched out from the software DB 326 in the serviceinformation DB 26 of the service providing device 2 so as to transfer itto the management device 101 of a corresponding factory of thedestination of delivery of the component mounting apparatus. Then, thesoftware is installed on the corresponding placement machine n108 byremote processing (step S327). At this moment, information relating tothe installed latest version, for example, the contents of upgrade orthe contents of a patched bug are also transferred to the managementdevice 101. Moreover, in the case where a change or an addition occursin the operation of the placement machine n108, a maintenance method, amessage at the occurrence of a trouble, or the like due to upgrading tothe latest version, the electronic file 355 of the instruction manualclearly showing the contents thereof is fetched out from the instructionmanual DB 322 in the service information DB 26 to be transferred.Alternatively, a service for fetching the virtual training software 361out from the virtual training DB 324 in the service information DB 26 soas to offer the virtual training is also carried out.

Next, as a result of examination if the NC data 220 is incomplete ornot, in particular, the data in the component library 241 is incompleteor not (the component library 241 is, as described above, stored in thedata memory section 22 for each placement machine), it is assumed thatan incompletion is found. For example, it is assumed that a head speedin the component library 241 is set at high although it should be set atlow for that component. In this case, since a rotation speed of theplacement head 4 is too high, the suction force of the component suctionnozzle 7 cannot sufficiently resist against the inertia force due to amass of a component, causing a trouble such as a suction offset of acomponent or a falling component. Therefore, in this case, theincompletion of the component library 241 causes a lowered lineoperation rate (step S328). In this case, the component library 241 of acorresponding placement machine is read out from the mounted componentDB 327 in the service information DB 26 so as to be transmitted to themanagement device 101 of a corresponding factory at the destination ofdelivery of the component mounting apparatus (step S329). The componentlibrary 241 stored in the mounted component DB 327 covers the data ofcomponents of all component manufacturers used in the field of mounting.However, only the component library 241 relating to a component, whichmeets the conditions of a manufacturer of the components used by theuser to be serviced or the type of a produced circuit board, can beretrieved and transferred. As a result, since the minimum necessarycomponent library 241 is transferred, the placement machine n108, forwhich the component library 241 is input, does not occupy the storagecapacity with unnecessary data.

The example where a large amount of shutdown time due to a trouble inthe bottleneck placement machine lowers the line operation rate has beendescribed above. However, even in the placement machine other than thebottleneck placement machine, in the case where the amount of shutdowntime due to a trouble is increased in any placement machine constitutingthe component mounting line 100, the amount of shutdown time of thebottleneck placement machine is increased under the influence thereof.For example, in the case where the bottleneck placement machine issituated at the downstream of the placement machine having a largeamount of shutdown time due to a trouble, the amount of shutdown timefor P-plate waiting (circuit board conveyance waiting) is increased. Inthe case where the bottleneck placement machine is situated at theupstream of the placement machine having a large amount of shutdown timedue to a trouble, the amount of shutdown time due to jammed downstreamwhere a circuit board is stopped at the downstream (a kind of P-platewaiting) is increased. As a result, the line operation rate may belowered.

In the example of FIG. 55A, the line operation rate is lowered between20 o'clock and 22 o'clock. In order to examine the cause, as shown inFIG. 55B, the breakdown of shutdown time of the placement machine 1serving as a bottleneck placement machine between 20 o'clock and 22o'clock is displayed as a graph. From the drawing, it is understood thatthe amount of shutdown time due to component stockout is large between20 o'clock and 22 o'clock. It is revealed that a large amount ofshutdown time due to component stockout leads to a lowered lineoperation rate (step S330). In this case, it is important to quicklyreplace the component supplying device 5, in which the component runsout of stock. However, for example, if the number of the componentsupplying devices 5 to be provided is increased in accordance with thenumber of used components supplied by a single component supplyingdevice 5 so that a plurality of component supplying devices 5 share theburden of supplying the component, the stockout itself does not occur.Therefore, there is also a choice of performing the optimization so thatthe number of the same component supplying devices 5 to be provided isincreased (step S331). The details thereof will be described below.

The example where the line operation rate is lowered by a large amountof shutdown time due to component stockout in the bottleneck placementmachine has been described above. However, even in the placement machinen108 other than the bottleneck placement machine, in the case where theamount of shutdown time due to component stockout is increased in anyplacement machine n108 constituting the component mounting line 100, theamount of shutdown time of the bottleneck placement machine is increasedunder the influence thereof. For example, in the case where thebottleneck placement machine is situated at the downstream of theplacement machine n108 suffering from a large amount of shutdown timedue to a trouble, the amount of shutdown time for P-plate waiting(circuit board conveyance waiting) is increased. In the case where thebottleneck placement machine is situated at the upstream of theplacement machine n108 suffering from a large amount of shutdown timedue to a trouble, the amount of shutdown time due to jammed downstreamwhere a circuit board is stopped at the downstream (a kind of P-platewaiting) is increased. As a result, the line operation rate may belowered.

As described above, the cause that the line mounting tact or the lineoperation rate does not reach the target value is analyzed from variousaspects based on the obtained phenomena. The optimal response such asthe optimization of the NC data 220, the service provision, or the likecan be made through a remote operation via the network 60 depending onthe case. Therefore, it is ensured that the line mounting tact or theline operation rate can be restored to the target value in real time.Moreover, the operation status is monitored and analyzed from variousaspects, so that the preventive measures against a crucial trouble orhalt in production can be taken.

The monitoring and analysis for preventing the operation rate or themounting tact from being degraded have been described above based on theflow charts of FIGS. 45 and 46. The monitoring and analysis forpreventing the poor quality can be performed in the same manner.

For example, a transition in defective rate in the result of inspectionis monitored. In the case where the defective rate is above its target,the cause thereof is analyzed. For this analysis, when the defectiverate is above its target, it is examined precisely which defect occurs.

For example, in the case where a placement positional offset of acomponent occurs and the component for which the placement positionaloffset occurs is limited to a large component to be mounted at low speedsuch as SOP or QFP, the specified contents for placement speed of thesecomponents in the component library 241 are checked. If it is revealedthat the placement speed is specified to high, it is judged that thepositional offset due to inertia of the component suction nozzle 7 iscaused by high-speed placement of a component which should have beenmounted at low speed. Then, the specified placement speed in thecomponent library 241 is corrected to be low, so that the componentlibrary 241 after correction is feedbacked to the service receivingdevice 1.

Alternatively, for example, in the case where the occurrence offaintness of a solder is detected as a result of cream solder printinspection, technique data such as a viscosity and a temperature of acream solder or a plate detaching speed is examined. If it is revealedthat there is any inadequate data or speed among them, for example, as aprinting speed of a narrow lead pitch, for that kind of circuit board,the technique is feedbacked to the service receiving device 1 so thatthe contents retrieved and fetched out from the mounting technique DB328 are reflected into that technique.

Although there are still an extremely large number of other exampleswhere the quality analysis is performed, they are not described in thisembodiment. However, the analysis is performed and the feedback is givenin the same manner as the above-described method.

(2-3) Operation of NC Data Optimization

In the flow charts of the operation status analysis of FIGS. 45 and 46described above, the NC data optimization as countermeasures foreliminating the cause which is ascertained as a result of analysis hasbeen presented at every turn. The detailed processing operation thereofwill be described below.

(a) Operation of Single Placement Machine Optimization at the Step S306

The operation of single placement machine optimization at the step S306will be described for the example of the high-speed placement machine108 a using a flow chart shown in FIG. 56.

The object of the single placement machine optimization at the step S306is for eliminating the excess of the tact loss of the bottleneckplacement machine from the allowable range.

First, the components to be placed are grouped for each placement speed.The groups are arranged in the order of higher placement speed to lowerplacement speed in the placement speed to the circuit board 10 and thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 (step S401). Theplacement speed is the movement speed of the placement head 4 or themovement speed of the XY table 9. The arrangement of the componentsupplying devices 5 is in the order of higher speed to lower speed fromthe vicinity of the initial position (original point) on the movingtable 6.

Next, the placement order in each speed group described above and thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 are determined (stepS402). In determination of the placement order and the arrangement ofthe component supplying devices 5, the amount of movement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 is considered so as to fall within theallowable movement range (Z movement allowable movement range) in thestandard tact of the component supplying devices 5 as the firstpriority. As the second propriety, the amount of movement of the XYtable 9 is considered so as to fall within the allowable movement range(XY movement allowable movement range) in the standard tact of the XYtable. As a result, the movement loss of the component supplying devices5 is completely eliminated.

The movement loss of the component supplying devices 5 is completelyeliminated in this manner, so that a constraint is generated on acomponent at the placement position which can be next selected from thecurrent placement position. Therefore, a component at the placementposition which is further than another component at the placementposition near to the current placement position on the circuit boardshould sometimes be selected. Therefore, on the other hand, the movementloss of the XY table 9 can necessarily remain. The reduction of theamount of movement of the component supplying devices 5 to be within theallowable movement range in the standard tact of the component supplyingdevices 5 is, for example, if it is assumed that the allowable movementrange in the standard tact of the component supplying devices 5 is ±1,limited to a component of the same component supplying device 5 or theadjacent component supplying device 5. If there is no component at theplacement position within the allowable movement range in the standardtact from the current placement position among those components, it is amovement loss of the XY table 9. However, even if the amount of movementof the XY table 9 does not fall within the allowable movement range inthe standard tact of the XY table 9, it is considered to select acomponent for a next placement position so that the amount of movementbecomes minimum. As a result, the placement order can be determined sothat the movement loss of the XY table 9 becomes minimum even under thecondition where the movement loss of the component supplying device 5 iscompletely eliminated.

In the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 a performing theplacement with the standard tact of 0.2 second or less, the amount ofmovement of the component supplying devices 5 is more strictly limited.More specifically, the placement order is determined so that theadjacent component supplying device 5 is not moved until the completionof all components of one component supplying device 5. In this manner,the amount of movement of the component supplying device 5 can beminimized and the lowering of the suction rate due to the vibration ofthe component supplying device 5 can be prevented. By this method,however, since the movement loss of the XY table 9 is slightly increasedby strictly limiting the amount of movement of the component supplyingdevice 5, the placement tact becomes slow.

Next, the mounting tact simulation is performed based on the NC data 220of the bottleneck placement machine after the optimization which has thedetermined arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 andcomponent placement order so as to calculate a theoretical value of theplacement tact, that is, the line mounting tact (step S403). Thetheoretical value of the placement tact is calculated by using theabove-described (Formula 1) to (Formula 6).

Next, it is evaluated if the calculated theoretical value of the linemounting tact reaches the target value or not (step S404). If it reachesthe target value, the optimization processing is ended. If it does notreach the target value, the process proceeds to step S405.

At the step S405, as shown in FIG. 57, if components supplied by onecomponent supplying device 5 are widely distributed on the circuit board(P plate) 10, the number of component supplying devices 5 is increasedfor each group of distributed components (in the example of the drawing,each group corresponds to an individual component) so that the pluralityof component supplying devices share the burden of supplying thecomponents. In the example of the drawing, the number of the componentsupplying device 5 for a component a is increased to 3. As a result,before increasing the number of the component supplying devices 5, forexample, when the components of the same component supplying device 5are successively placed so as to eliminate the movement loss of thecomponent supplying device 5, the amount of movement of the XY table 9is considerably increased as illustrated. After increasing the number ofthe component supplying devices 5, since the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 can be determined in the order of closerplacement positions on the circuit board 10 as illustrated, the amountof movement of the XY table 9 is considerably reduced.

Next, for the NC data 220 after increasing the number of the componentsupplying devices 5, the arrangement of the component supplying devices5 and the placement order are determined in the same processing as thatat the step S402 (Step S406). Moreover, the mounting tact simulation isperformed based on the NC data 220 after the optimization at the stepS406 so as to calculate a theoretical value of the placement tact, thatis, the line mounting tact (Step S407).

Next, it is evaluated if the calculated theoretical value of the linemounting tact reaches the target value or not (step S408). If it reachesthe target value, the optimization processing is ended. It is consideredthat it reaches the target value in most cases. If it does not reach thetarget value, the process proceeds to step S409.

If it cannot reach the target value even after the optimization asdescribed above at the step S409, there is a possibility that there maybe a problem in the arrangement of components on the circuit board.Therefore, the correction of circuit design is proposed. Alternatively,the further enhancement of performance of a configuration of thecomponent mounting line 100 is proposed.

(b) Operation of Optimization at the Step S307

The operation of optimization at the step S307 will be described for anexample of the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 a using aflow chart shown in FIG. 58.

The object of optimization at the step S307 is to eliminate the excessof the tact loss of the bottleneck placement machine from the allowablerange.

(b-1) Optimization Under the Condition where the Arrangement of theComponent Supplying Devices 5 of the Bottleneck Placement Machine isFixed

First, in the bottleneck placement machine, the placement order isdetermined under the condition where the current arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 is fixed without being changed (stepS421). In determination of the placement order, the amount of movementof the component supplying devices 5 is considered so as to fall withinthe allowable movement range (Z movement allowable movement range) inthe standard tact of the component supplying devices 5 as the firstpriority. As the second propriety, the amount of movement of the XYtable 9 is considered so as to fall within the allowable movement range(XY movement allowable movement range) in the standard tact of the XYtable. As a result, the movement loss of the component supplying devices5 is completely eliminated.

However, under the condition where the arrangement of the componentsupplying devices 5 is fixed, the movement loss of the XY table 9 isfurther increased than in the case where the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 is not fixed. This point will be describedusing FIGS. 59A and 59B. If the arrangement of the component supplyingdevices 5 is fixed as shown in FIG. 59A, when the movement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 is intended to be limited to fall withinthe allowable range in the standard tact, for example, after theplacement of a component a, a component b of the adjacent componentsupplying device 5 must be placed by all means. If the component b isaway from the current placement position of the component a as shown inthe drawing, the movement loss of the XY table is generated. On theother hand, in the case where the arrangement of the component supplyingdevices 5 is not fixed but free as shown in FIG. 59B, after theplacement of the component a, it is possible to place the componentsupplying device 5 for the component d present within the allowablerange in the standard tact from the component a so as to be adjacent tothe component supplying device 5 for the component a. More specifically,the component supplying devices 5 can be arranged so as not to generateany movement loss of the XY table 9. Therefore, in the case where thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 is fixed, a possibilitythat the movement loss of the XY table 9 is generated is increased ascompared with the case where the arrangement is fixed.

Next the mounting tact simulation is performed based on the NC data 220of the bottleneck placement machine after the optimization having thedetermined component placement order so as to calculate a theoreticalvalue of the placement tact, that is, the line mounting tact (StepS422). A theoretical value of the placement tact is calculated by using(Formula 1) to (Formula 6) described above.

Next, it is evaluated if the calculated theoretical value of the linemounting tact reaches the target value or not (step S423). If it reachesthe target value, the optimization processing is ended. If it does notreach the target value, there is a problem in the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 which is rendered common to product types,that is, the common arrangement of the component supplying devices 5(hereinafter, referred to as the common component arrangement).Therefore, it is judged that the line mounting tact in the evaluatedproduct type cannot reach the target value, so that the process proceedsto step S424 to perform the optimization for reviewing the commoncomponent arrangement.

(b-2) Common Component Arrangement Optimization

At the step S424, the common component arrangement is created. Anexample where the common component arrangement is created is shown inFIG. 60A. The common component arrangement is created based on the NCdata 220 of all placement machines of the component mounting line 100 inthe intended product types (for example, the types of products for oneday or for one week). Herein, for simplification, as shown in thedrawing, the example of only two placement machines 1 and 2 as theplacement machines of the component mounting line 100 and three producttypes A, B, and C is described. As the number of circuit boards to beproduced, 200 for the product type A, 120 for the product type B, and 70for the product type C, i.e., in the order of increasing number A>B>C.The production order is in the order of A, B, and C.

In FIG. 60A, the arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 of theplacement machines 1 and 2 (Z in the drawing corresponds to anarrangement number) is displayed in the order of product types A, B, andC. In the common component arrangement, the arrangement of all producttypes becomes the same. Among them, the component supplying device 5 ofa component used commonly to the product types is positioned at the sameposition. Moreover, for example, in the case of a component used onlyfor a certain product type, the component supplying device 5 of thatcomponent remains placed for the other product types and this componentsupplying device 5 is not used (for example, a component g in Z7 of theplacement machine 1 is used only for the product type A but is not usedfor the product types B and C while the component supplying device 5 isplaced as it is). The distribution of the components to the placementmachines 1 and 2 is performed so that the tact balance with the standardmounting tact, which is calculated based on the standard tact for theproduct type A having the largest number of production can be obtained.Moreover, the placement position of the component supplying device 5 ofa component which is commonly used to a plurality of product type isdetermined so as to be an optimal arrangement for the product typehaving the largest number of produced circuit boards. For example, thecomponents a, b, and C are optimally arranged for the product type A.Moreover, the placement position of the component supplying device 5 ofa component which is used only for one product type is determined so asto be optimal for that product type. For example, a component h isplaced at the position optimal for the product type B.

Next, the component placement order of each placement machine n108 ofeach product type is determined under the condition where the componentsupplying devices 5 are fixed in the common component arrangementcreated at the step S424 (step S425). An optimization method is the sameas that at the step S421.

Next, the simulation of production time of the intended all producttypes is performed so as to calculate the amount of total productiontime (step S426). Hereinafter, this simulation is referred to as mountproduction tact simulation. A specific calculation method of the mountproduction tact simulation is described in an example of FIGS. 60A and60B.

First, as shown in FIG. 60A, the placement tact of each placementmachine is calculated for each product type. The placement tact iscalculated by using (Formula 1) to (Formula 6) as at the step S422. Theresult of calculation is shown for each product type in the fields ofthe placement tact of the placement machines 1 and 2. Then, the maximumvalue of the placement tact of each placement machine serves as the linemounting tact, and as illustrated, is obtained for each product type.Furthermore, the line mounting tact is multiplied by the number ofproduced products of a corresponding type to obtain the type productiontime shown in the drawing. The type production time is the amount oftime required to perform the mount production on the number of producedcircuit boards of that product type.

Moreover, based on the frequency of replacement of the componentsupplying device 5 upon type switching, as shown in FIG. 60B, the amountof type switching time between the respective product types iscalculated. In the case of the common component arrangement, since thecomponent supplying device 5 which is used for all intended producttypes is mounted on each placement machine, the replacement of thecomponent supplying device 5 does not occur at all.

As described above, by figuring out the sum of the type production timeof each product type and the type switching time between the respectiveproduct types obtained as a result of calculation, the total productiontime is calculated. At step S426, the total production type calculatedin the example of FIGS. 60A and 60B is 506 minutes 20 seconds. The mountproduction tact simulation in the case where this common componentarrangement is used is referred to as mount production tact simulation(1). At step S426, for simplification, the amount of time required toreplace the component supplying device 5 is considered as the typeswitching time. However, it is not limited thereto. For example, theamount of time for selecting the NC data 220 in each placement machinen108 or stage replacement operation time such as the amount of time forchanging a conveyance width of the circuit board in each placementmachine n108 or the amount of time for changing the position of asupport pin for downwardly supporting a circuit board may be considered.

(b-3) Partially Common Component Arrangement Optimization

Following the optimization using the common component arrangement, thepartially common component arrangement is created based on the NC data220 of the same product type of each placement machine of the samecomponent mounting line 100 as that at the step S424 (step S427). Thepartially common component arrangement is an arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 configured such that the componentsupplying device 5 of a component which is commonly used to producttypes is the same arrangement, and the component supplying device 5 of acomponent which is used only for a single product type is used inproduction of that product type and causes the partial replacement of acomponent.

FIG. 61A shows the example where the partially common componentarrangement is created. FIG. 61A shows the production of the samecircuit board in the same line configuration as those in the case shownin FIG. 60A. In FIG. 61A, the arrangement of the component supplyingdevices 5 of the placement machines 1 and 2 (Z in the drawingcorresponds to an arrangement number) is shown in the order of producttypes A, B, and C. In the partially common component arrangement, thearrangement of the component supplying device 5 of a component which iscommonly used to product types in the successive production order is thesame. For example, from Z1 of Z3 of the placement machine 1, thearrangement of the component supplying device 5 is the same for all theproduct types A, B, and C. However, the component supplying device 5 ofa component which is not commonly used to successive product types hasthe placement only for that product type. When the product type isswitched, the component supplying device is replaced with another. Forexample, for Z5 of the placement machine 1, the component supplyingdevice 5 of the component e for the product type A is placed. For theproduct type B, it is replaced with the component supplying device 5 forthe component h. For the product type C, it is replaced again with thecomponent supplying device 5 for the component e. Similarly, in theportion indicated with the arrows in the drawing, the replacement of thecomponent supplying device 5 occurs. The distribution of the componentsto the placement machines 1 and 2 is executed so that the tact balanceis obtained in the standard placement tact calculated with the standardtact for the product type A having the largest number of product.Moreover, the component supplying device 5 of a component which iscommonly used to a plurality of product types is positioned so as to beoptimal for the product type having the largest number of products. Forexample, the components a, b, and c are positioned so as to be optimalfor the product type A. Moreover, the position of the componentsupplying device 5 of a component which is used only for a singleproduct type is determined to be an optimal position for that producttype and is determined at step S428. For example, the component h ispositioned so as to be optimal for the product type B.

Next, based on the partially common component arrangement which iscreated at the step S427, under the condition where the componentsupplying device 5 which is common to product types is fixedly arrangedwhereas the component supplying device 5 which is used only for thatproduct type is not fixedly arranged, the placement order and thearrangement of the component supplying device 5 relating to a componentwhich is used only for that product type are determined for eachplacement machine n108 and each product type (step S428). Indetermination of the placement order and determination of thearrangement of the component supplying device 5 relating to a componentwhich is only used for that product type, the amount of movement of thecomponent supplying device 5 is considered so as to fall within theallowable movement range (Z movement allowable movement range) in thestandard tact of the component supplying device 5 as the first priority.As the second priority, the amount of movement of the XY table 9 isconsidered so as to fall within the allowable movement range (XYmovement allowable movement range) in the standard tact of the XY table9.

Next, the mount production tact simulation is performed in the targetedall product types so as to calculate the total production time (StepS429). A specific calculation method of the mount production tactsimulation is described for the example of FIGS. 61A and 61B.

First, as shown in FIG. 61A, the placement tact of each placementmachine is calculated for each product type. For calculation of theplacement tact, (Formula 1) to (Formula 6) are used as at the step S422.The result of calculation is shown in the fields of the placement tactof the placement machines 1 and 2 for each product type. In view ofvalues in the drawing, the placement tact is slightly reduced by theamount of a portion where the optimization is freely performed for eachproduct type as compared with those of the common component arrangement.Then, the largest value of the placement tact of each placement machineserves as a line mounting tact, and is obtained for each product type asshown in the drawing. Furthermore, the line mounting tact is multipliedby the number of products of a corresponding product type to obtain thetype production time shown in the drawing. The type production time istime required to perform the mount production for a produced number ofcircuit boards of that product type.

Moreover, based on the frequency of replacement of the componentsupplying device 5 upon type switching, the type switching time betweenthe respective product types is calculated as shown in FIG. 61B. In thedrawing, the frequency of replacement of the component supplying device5 upon each type switching from the type A to B and from the type B to Cin the placement machines 1 and 2 is shown. For example, in theplacement machine 1, the replacement of the component supplying device 5upon type switching from the type A to B occurs twice, from thecomponent e to the component h for Z5 and from the component g to thecomponent f for Z6. The amount of time required for one replacement ofthe component supplying device 5 is obtained by reading out the speedmaster 414 (cassette replacement time) from the data memory section 22of the service receiving device 1. According to the speed master 414,for example, it takes 180 seconds to replace the component supplyingdevice 5 of the placement machine 1 once, and it takes 240 seconds toreplace the component supplying device 5 of the placement machine 2once. Based on this, the type switching time between the respectiveproduct types for each placement machine can be obtained by multiplyingthe component replacement time obtained from the speed master 414 by thecomponent replacement frequency. For simplification, the type switchingis carried out in the component mounting line 100 at a time. The largesttype switching time in the placement machines 1 and 2 becomes line typeswitching time. In the case of illustration, the line type switchingtime is 8 minutes in both switching from the type A to B and the type Bto C.

As described above, by figuring out the sum of the type production timeof each product type and the type switching time between the respectiveproduct types as the result of calculation, the total production time iscalculated. At step S429, the total production time which is calculatedin the example of FIGS. 61A and 61B is 483 minutes. The mount productiontact simulation in the case where this partially common componentarrangement is referred to as mount production tact simulation (2).

(b-4) Individual Component Arrangement Optimization

Following the optimization using the partially common componentarrangement, the optimization as a line is performed while all thecomponent supplying devices 5 are freely arranged (not fixed) for eachproduct type based on the NC data 220 of each of the same product typesof each placement machine in the same component mounting line 100 asthose at the steps S424 and S427. It is determined that the respectiveproduct types have no relationship with each other; the optimization isperformed so as to carry out the mounting in the shortest time as a lineindependently for each product type. Specifically, it is not consideredat all to share the component supplying device 5 among the producttypes. The arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 isdetermined so that the mounting is achieved in the shortest timeindividually for each product type. Therefore, first, the components aredistributed to each placement machine so as to obtain the line tactbalance in each product type (step S430). At this point, for example,the components are distributed so as to obtain the placement tactbalance of each placement machine with a theoretical value of theplacement tact obtained by adding an allowable range value of the tactloss of each placement machine (stored in the operation qualityinformation DB 51 and set at, for example, 5% of the standard placementtact) to the standard placement tact. However, it is not limitedthereto. The balance may be obtained with the standard placement tact orthe balance may be obtained with the number of placed components.Alternatively, the balance may be obtained with the placement tactobtained by adding a mean value of the tact loss up to them to thestandard placement tact. However, the accuracy of striking the balanceis higher in the case where the balance is redressed with the placementtact in consideration of the tact loss.

Next, for each placement machine to which the components aredistributed, the arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 andthe component placement order are determined (step S431). Indetermination of the component supplying devices 5 and the placementorder, the amount of movement of the component supplying device 5 isconsidered so as to fall within the allowable movement range (Z movementallowable movement range) in the standard tact of the componentsupplying device 5 as the first priority. As the second priority, theamount of movement of the XY table 9 is considered so as to fall withinthe allowable movement range (XY movement allowable movement range) inthe standard tact of the XY table.

FIG. 62A shows an example of the individual component arrangementdetermined at the steps S430 and S431, that is, the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 after the optimization is performed byfreely arranging the component supplying devices 5 for each producttype. FIG. 62A shows the production of the same circuit board as that inFIGS. 60A and 61A with the same line configuration. In FIG. 62A, thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 of the placementmachines 1 and 2 (Z in the drawing indicates an arrangement number) isshown in the order of types A, B, and C. As illustrated, the arrangementof the component supplying devices 5 for each product type isindividually optimal for each product type, and is independent betweenthe product types. Therefore, even the component supplying device 5 ofthe same component has often different positions. Thus, the replacementof the component supplying device 5 frequently occurs.

Next, the mount production tact simulation is performed in the targetedall product types so as to calculate the total production time (StepS432). A specific calculation method of the mount production tactsimulation is described for the example of FIGS. 62A and 62B.

First, as shown in FIG. 62A, the placement tact of each placementmachine is calculated for each product type. For calculation of theplacement tact, (Formula 1) to (Formula 6) are used as at the step S422.The result of calculation is shown in the fields of the placement tactof the placement machines 1 and 2 for each product type. In view ofvalues in the drawing, the placement tact is slightly reduced by theamount of a portion where the optimization of arrangement of all thecompound supplying devices 5 is freely performed for each product typeas compared with those of the partially common component arrangement.Generally, the placement tact is shorter in the partially commoncomponent arrangement than in the common component arrangement, andshorter in the individual component arrangement than in the partiallycommon component arrangement. Then, the largest value of the placementtact of each placement machine becomes a line mounting tact, which isobtained for each product type as is illustrated. Furthermore, the typeproduction time illustrated in the drawing is obtained by multiplyingthe line mounting tact by the number of produced products of acorresponding type. The type production time is the amount of timerequired to perform the mount production for the number of producedcircuit boards of that type.

Moreover, based on the frequency of replacement of the componentsupplying device 5 upon type switching, the type switching time betweenthe respective product types is calculated as shown in FIG. 62B. In thedrawing, the frequency of replacement of the component supplying device5 upon each type switching from the type A to B and from the type B to Cin the placement machines 1 and 2 is shown. In view of the drawing, thefrequency of replacement is increased as compared with that in thepartially common component arrangement. The amount of time required forone replacement of the component supplying device 5 is obtained byreading out the speed master 414 (cassette replacement time) from thedata area 304 of the memory section 302 of the service providing device2. As a result, the type switching time between the respective types foreach placement machine can be obtained by multiplying the componentreplacement time obtained from the speed master 414 by the componentreplacement frequency. For simplification, if it is assumed that thetype switching is carried out in the component mounting line 100 at atime, the largest type switching time in the placement machines 1 and 2becomes line type switching time. In the case of illustrated example,the line type switching time is 20 minutes in switching from the type Ato B and 16 minutes in switching from the type B to C.

As described above, by figuring out the sum of the type production timeof each product type and the type switching time between the respectiveproduct types as the result of calculation, the total production time iscalculated. At step S432, the total production time which is calculatedin the example of FIGS. 62A and 62B is 490 minutes 40 seconds. The mountproduction tact simulation, in the case where this partially commoncomponent arrangement is used, is referred to as mount production tactsimulation (3).

(b-5) Result of the Optimization for Reviewing the Common ComponentArrangement

At step S433, the results of the mounting tact simulations (1) to (3)are evaluated so as to determine the NC data 220 having the smallesttotal production time. In the examples shown in (FIGS. 60A and 60B) to(FIGS. 62A and 62B), the result of the partially common componentarrangement is obtained as the smallest, i.e., the total production timeof 483 minutes. Therefore, the NC data 220 where the partially commoncomponent arrangement optimization is performed is determined.

Next, in the product type in which the line mounting tact cannot reachthe target value in the operation status analysis, it is evaluated ifthe line mounting tact is improved so as to reach the target value inthe NC data 220 determined at the step S433 (step S434). If the linemounting tact reaches the target value, the optimization processing isended. If not, there is possibly a problem in the component arrangementon the circuit board because the target value is not achieved even afterthe optimization as described above. Therefore, the correction ofcircuit design is proposed. Alternatively, the further enhancement ofperformance of a configuration of the component mounting line 100 isproposed (step S435). Alternatively, in the case where the totalproduction time can reach the target value, that is, a production plancan be achieved, it is considered that the line mounting tact does notreach the target in a corresponding type. Thus, the NC data 220 afterthe optimization is adopted.

If the line mounting tact reaches the target value, the NC data afterthe optimization described above is adopted not only for a correspondingproduct type but naturally also for other product types.

Moreover, in the examples shown in (FIGS. 60A and 60B) to (FIGS. 62A and62B), for simplification, the placement speed is described as uniquewhile the grouping of the placement speeds is not mentioned. However, ifany component has a different placement speed, the component supplyingdevices are required to be arranged in the order of higher placementspeed to lower placement speed. Similarly, in the following example ofthe NC data optimization, the placement speed is also described asunique for simplification. However, if any component has a differentplacement speed, the component supplying devices 5 are required to bearranged in the order of higher placement speed to lower placementspeed.

In the above-described example, a uniform component arrangement methodis used, for example, the common component arrangement is used if thecommon component arrangement is used for all product types, and thepartially common component arrangement is used if the partially commoncomponent arrangement is used for all product types. However, it is notlimited thereto. The component arrangement method may be changeddepending on the product type. For example, in the case where theproduct types A, B, C, D, and E are successively produced, it is assumedthat the number of products to be produced is small for the producttypes A, B, and C while the number of products to be produced isremarkably increased for the product types D and E. In this case, thecommon component arrangement is used for the product types A, B, and Cwhile the individual component arrangement is used for each of theproduct types D and E. In this manner, the product types are grouped inaccordance with the number of products to be produced. Then, if thecomponent arrangement method is switched in the course of production,the detailed optimization of the component arrangement for furtherreducing the total production time is made possible.

(c) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S309

The operation of the optimization at the step S309 will be described foran example of the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 a using aflow chart shown in FIG. 63.

The object of the optimization at the step S309 is to correct thedistribution of the components so as to strike the line tact balance.

First, the components to be placed are moved from the placement machinehaving a large placement tact result value to the placement machinehaving a small placement tact result value by the unit of the componentsupplying device 5 so that the placement tact result values areequalized. For example, a sufficient number of components to be placedare moved from the bottleneck placement machine to another placementmachine to strike the line tact balance (step S441). At this point, forexample, the components to be placed of the bottleneck placement machineare successively shifted bit by bit to the placement machine having thesmallest placement tact so that the placement tacts of all the placementmachines ultimately fall within the allowable range. The calculation ofthe placement tact of each placement machine after moving the componentsis absolutely a provisional calculation; the calculation is for adding atact of the components, which are added as a result of a shift, to theplacement tact before the shift of the components or for subtracting atact of the component, which are removed as a result of a shift, to theplacement tact before the shift of the components. It is assumed thatthe tact of the components to be shifted at this time is the standardtact or a tact obtained by multiplying the target tact by a ratio ofinclusion of a predetermined tact loss.

Next, in each placement machine n108 in which the distribution of thecomponents is corrected, the arrangement of the component supplyingdevices 5 and the component placement order are determined (step S442).In determination of the arrangement of the component supplying devices 5and the placement order, the amount of movement of the componentsupplying devices 5 is considered so as to fall within the allowablemovement range (Z movement allowable movement range) in the standardtact of the component supplying devices 5 as the first priority. As thesecond priority, the amount of movement of the XY table 9 is consideredso as to fall within the allowable movement range (XY movement allowablemovement range) in the standard tact of the XY table 9.

Next, the mounting tact simulation is performed based on the NC data 220of each placement machine n108 having the determined arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 and component placement order after theoptimization so as to calculate a theoretical value of the placementtact of each placement machine n108 and the line mounting tact (stepS443). The theoretical value of the placement tact is calculated byusing (Formula 1) to (Formula 6) described above.

Next, it is evaluated if the line tact balance falls within theallowable range or not as a result of the mounting tact simulation (stepS444). If the line tact balance falls within the allowable range, it isthen evaluated if the line mounting tact reaches the target value or not(step S445). If the line mounting tact reaches the target value, theoptimization processing is ended. If not, the arrangement of thecomponents on the circuit board possibly has a problem because thetarget value is not achieved even after the optimization as describedabove. Therefore, the correction of a circuit design is proposed.Alternatively, the further enhancement of performance of a configurationof the component mounting line 100 is proposed (step S446). Moreover,although omitted in FIG. 63, in the case where the line mounting tactdoes not reach the target value at the step S445, it is evaluated againif the tact loss exists or not. If the tact loss exists, theoptimization for eliminating the tact loss may be performed on eachplacement machine.

If the line tact balance does not fall within the allowable range at thestep S444, its cause is examined. First, it is examined if thephenomenon of a stood-out placement tact of a placement machine to whichthe components have been distributed occurs or not because a certaincomponent is more frequently used than the other components, that is,because the number of the components serving as the minimum unit of thedistributed components is extremely large (step S447). If that is thecase, the processing proceeds to step S449. If not, the process proceedsto step S448. At the step S448, it is examined if the cause is a largetact loss of the bottleneck placement machine. If the cause is a largetact loss of the bottleneck placement machine, the processing proceedsto step S450. If not, the processing returns to the step S441, and afterthe steps S441 to the step S443 are performed again, it is evaluatedagain if the tact balance falls within the allowable range.

At the step S449, the number of the component supplying devices 5 isincreased so that a plurality of the component supplying devices 5 sharethe burden of supplying the frequently used components. At this point,for example, as shown in FIG. 57, the components which are widelydistributed on the circuit board may be divided so as to be supplied bya plurality of the component supplying devices 5. After the step S449,the processing returns to the step S441 where the correction of thedistribution is performed again. Then, after the steps S442 and S443 areperformed, it is evaluated again if the tact balance falls within theallowable range.

At the step S450, in the bottleneck placement machine, as shown in FIG.57, the number of the component supplying devices 5 is increased so thata plurality of the component supplying devices 5 share the burden ofsupplying the components which are widely distributed on the circuitboard. As a result, the movement loss of the XY table 9 can beeliminated.

After the step S450, in the bottleneck placement machine, thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 and the componentplacement order are determined (step S451). In determination of thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 and determination ofthe placement order, the amount of movement of the component supplyingdevices 5 is considered so as to fall within the allowable movementrange (Z movement allowable movement range) in the standard tact of thecomponent supplying devices 5 as the first priority. As the secondpriority, the amount of movement of the XY table 9 is considered so asto fall within the allowable movement range (XY movement allowablemovement range) in the standard tact of the XY table 9.

Next, the mounting tact simulation is performed based on the NC data 220of the bottleneck placement machine after the optimization which has thedetermined arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 andcomponent placement order so as to calculate a theoretical value of theplacement tact of the bottleneck placement machine, that is, the linemounting tact (step S452). The theoretical value of the placement tactis calculated by using the above-described (Formula 1) to (Formula 6).After the step S452, it is evaluated again if the line tact balancefalls within the allowable range at the step S444.

(d) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S310

The object of the optimization at the step S310 is to correct thedistribution of the components so as to strike the line tact balance.However, since it is already considered so that the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 is common to the product types, similaroptimization as that at the step S307 for reviewing the common componentarrangement. In this optimization, the distribution of the components toeach placement machine is also reviewed. However, in the flow chart ofFIG. 58, the processing after the step S424 is carried out. Morespecifically, the common component arrangement optimization, thepartially common component arrangement optimization, and the individualcomponent arrangement optimization shown in (FIGS. 60A and 60B) to(FIGS. 62A and 62B) are respectively performed. The result ofoptimization having the smallest total production time among them isselected. The other processing is the same as that of the optimizationat the step S307.

(e) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S312

The operation of the optimization at the step S312 will be described foran example of the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 a using aflow chart shown in FIG. 64.

The object of the optimization at the step S312 is to restrain the tactloss of each placement machine in the component mounting line 100 to bewithin the allowable range so that the line mounting tact can reach itstarget value.

First, in each placement machine, the arrangement of the componentsupplying devices 5 and the component placement order are determined(step S461). In determination of the arrangement of the componentsupplying devices 5 and determination of the placement order, the amountof movement of the component supplying devices 5 is considered so as tofall within the allowable movement range (Z movement allowable movementrange) in the standard tact of the component supplying devices 5 as thefirst priority. As the second priority, the amount of movement of the XYtable 9 is considered so as to fall within the allowable movement range(XY movement allowable movement range) in the standard tact of the XYtable 9.

Next, the mounting tact simulation is performed based on the NC data 220of each placement machine after the optimization which has thedetermined arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 andcomponent placement order so as to calculate a theoretical value of theplacement tact of each placement machine n108 and the line mounting tact(step S462). The theoretical value of the placement tact is calculatedby using the above-described (Formula 1) to (Formula 6).

Next, it is evaluated if the line mounting tact reaches the target valueor not as a result of the mounting tact simulation (step S463). If theline mounting tact reaches the target value, the optimization processingis ended. If not, it is evaluated if the line tact balance falls withinthe allowable range (step S464). If line tact balance does not fallwithin the allowable range, the processing proceeds to step S465 inorder to examine its cause. If the lien tact balance falls within theallowable range, the processing proceeds to step S472.

First, at the step S465, it is examined if the phenomenon of a stood-upplacement tact of a placement machine to which the components have beendistributed occurs or not because some component are more frequentlyused than the other components, that is, because the number of thecomponents serving as the minimum unit of the distributed components isextremely large. If that is the case, the processing proceeds to stepS467. If not, the process proceeds to step S466. At the step S466, it isexamined if the cause is a large tact loss of the bottleneck placementmachine. If the cause is a large tact loss of the bottleneck placementmachine, the processing proceeds to step S469. If not, the correction ofdistribution of the components is performed at step S468. The correctionof distribution of the components means a shift of a sufficient numberof placed components to strike the line tact balance from the placementmachine having a large placement tact to the placement machine having asmall placement tact. At this moment, for example, the component to beplaced of the bottleneck placement machine are successively shifted bitby bit from the placement machine having the smallest placement tact sothat the placement tacts of all the placement machines ultimately fallwithin the allowable range. After the correction of distribution of thecomponents is performed, the processing returns to the step S461 wherethe arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 of each placementmachine and the component placement order are determined again.

At the step S467, the frequently used components are divided so as to besupplied by a plurality of the component supplying devices 5. At thismoment, for example, as shown in FIG. 57, the number of the componentsupplying devices 5 may be increased so that a plurality of thecomponent supplying devices 5 share the burden of supplying thecomponents which are widely distributed on the circuit board. After theincrease, the distribution of the components is corrected at the stepS468. Then, the processing returns to the step S461.

At the step S469, in the bottleneck placement machine, as shown in FIG.57, the number of the component supplying devices 5 is increased so thata plurality of the component supplying devices 5 share the burden ofsupplying the components which are widely distributed on the circuitboard. As a result, the movement loss of the XY table 9 can beeliminated.

After the step S469, in the bottleneck placement machine, thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 and the componentplacement order are determined (step S470). In determination of thearrangement of the component supplying devices 5 and determination ofthe placement order, the amount of movement of the component supplyingdevices 5 is considered so as to fall within the allowable movementrange (Z movement allowable movement range) in the standard tact of thecomponent supplying devices 5 as the first priority. As the secondpriority, the amount of movement of the XY table 9 is considered so asto fall within the allowable movement range (XY movement allowablemovement range) in the standard tact of the XY table 9.

Next, the mounting tact simulation is performed based on the NC data 220of the bottleneck placement machine after the optimization which has thedetermined arrangement of the component supplying devices 5 andcomponent placement order so as to calculate a theoretical value of theplacement tact of the bottleneck placement machine, that is, the linemounting tact (step S471). The theoretical value of the placement tactis calculated by using the above-described (Formula 1) to (Formula 6).After the step S471, it is evaluated again if the line mounting tactreaches the target value or not at the step S463.

At step S472, if there is any placement machine which has the tact lossout of the allowable range among the placement machines even if the linetact balance is struck. If there is any, the number of the componentsupplying devices 5 is increased so that a plurality of the componentsupplying devices 5 share the burden of supplying the components whichare widely distributed on the circuit board in the placement machinehaving the tact loss out of the allowable range (step S473). As aresult, the movement loss of the XY table 9 can be eliminated. Afterincreasing the number of the component supplying devices 5, thedistribution of the components is corrected at the step S468. Then, theprocessing returns to the step S461.

At the step S472, if there is no placement machine having the tact lossout of the allowable range, the arrangement of the components of thecircuit board may possibly has a problem because the target value cannotbe achieved even after the optimization as described above. Therefore,the correction of a circuit design is proposed. Alternatively, aproposal is made so as to further enhance the performance of aconfiguration of the component mounting line 100.

(f) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S313

The object of the optimization at the step S313 is to restrain the tactloss of each placement machine n108 of the component mounting line 100within the allowable range so as to reach the target value of the linemounting tact. Therefore, similar processing as that of the optimizationat the step S307 is perforemed based on the flow chart shown in FIG. 53.However, it differs from the optimization at the step S307 in that allthe placement machines in the component mounting line 100 are consideredat the steps S421 and S422. Specifically, after determination of theplacement order under the condition where the arrangement of thecomponent supplying devices 5 for all placement machines is fixed, theplacement tact simulation of all placement machines is performed so asto evaluate if the line mounting tact reaches the target value. If thetarget value is not achieved, the common component arrangementoptimization, the partially common component arrangement optimization,and the individual component arrangement optimization shown in (FIGS.60A and 60B) to (FIGS. 62A and 62B) are performed in the processingafter the step S424 so as to select the result of optimization havingthe smallest total production time among them. The remaining part is thesame as that of the optimization at the step S307.

(g) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S316

The object of the optimization at the step S316 is to render thecomponent supplying devices 5 common so as to reduce the type switchingtime. Therefore, processing similar to that of the optimization at thestep S307 is performed based on the flow chart shown in FIG. 58.However, in FIG. 58, the processing starts with the step S424. Thecommon component arrangement optimization, the partially commoncomponent arrangement optimization, and the individual componentarrangement optimization shown in (FIGS. 60A and 60B) to (FIGS. 62A and62B) are performed so as to select the result of optimization having thesmallest total production time among them.

Although the aim is absolutely to maintain the target of the lineoperation rate by reducing the type switching time, it is important tosimultaneously achieve the minimization of the total production time. Itis the best to achieve both the minimization of the total productiontime and the reduction of the type switching time. However, it may bejudged that it is sufficient to achieve the minimization of the totalproduction time even though the type switching time is not reduced.

(h) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S323

The operation of the optimization at the step S323 will be described foran example of the case of the high-speed placement machine, using theflow chart shown in FIG. 65.

The object of the optimization at the step S323 is to eliminate themovement loss of the component supplying devices 5, to reduce thevibration of the movement table 6 on which the component supplyingdevices 5 are mounted, and to reduce the suction rate of the componentsuction nozzles 7.

At step S481, the current arrangement of the component supplying devices5 is fixed, and the placement order is set such that the same componentsupplying devices 5 consecutively place the components. Morespecifically, the placement order is determined so that the adjacentcomponent supplying device 5 is not moved until the completion ofplacing all components of one component supplying device 5. In thismanner, the amount of movement of the component supplying device 5 canbe minimized, and the lowering of the suction rate due to the vibrationof the component supplying device 5 can be prevented.

At step S482, the order of placing the components of the same componentsupplying device 5 is determined so that the movement of the XY table 9falls within the standard tact movement allowable range. In the casewhere it does not fall within the standard tact movement allowable rangeby any means, the movement of the XY table 9 is minimized.

In particular, in the case of the high-speed placement machine 108 awhich performs the placement with the standard tact of 0.2 seconds orless, such a placement order for strictly restraining the amount ofmovement of the component supplying devices 5 is effective in preventingthe suction rate from being lowered due to the vibration of thecomponent supplying section 11. In such a way, however, the amount ofmovement of the component supplying devices 5 is strictly restrained toslightly increase the movement loss of the XY table 9, resulting in aslower placement tact. In this case, however, it is general to givepriority to prevent a quality trouble, that is, a lowered suction rate.

(i) Operation of the Optimization at the Step S331

The operation of the optimization at the step S331 will be described foran example of the case of the high-speed placement machine, using a flowchart shown in FIG. 66.

The object of the optimization at the step S331 is to increase thenumber of the component supplying devices 5 of the frequently usedcomponents so as to disperse the amount of reduced components, therebypreventing the stockout of components during production.

First, in each component supplying device 5 used in the placementmachine n108, the number of components to be used is estimated for aproduct type of a circuit board (step S501). For that purpose, first,the number of steps of the NC program 221 is counted for each componentto obtain the number of components to be used of each componentsupplying device 5 used for a single circuit board. This number ofcomponents to be used of each component supplying device 5 is multipliedby the number of products of that product type, the number of componentsto be used of the product type can be obtained.

In comparison of this number of components to be used with the number ofcomponents remaining in the component supplying device 5, it can bejudged if the stockout occurs during the production of that product type(step S502). If the number of components to be used is larger, thestockout occurs during the production of that product type in thecomponent supplying device 5.

At step S502, if there is any component supplying device 5 in which thestockout of components may occur, that component supplying device 5 isdivided so that a plurality of the component supplying devices 5 supplythe component (step S503). The number of increase component supplyingdevices is set so that a value obtained by dividing the number ofcomponents to be used by the number of increased component supplyingdevices is below the number of remaining components.

Next, the single placement machine optimization is performed in the NDdata 220 after the division of the component supplying device 5, theprocessing of (step S504) is ended.

In production with the NC data 220 after such optimization, the stockoutdoes not occur during the production of the product type.

(3) Details of a Service Relating to the Mounting Technique DB 328

Herein, an example of generation of cream solder information and thedetails of a servicing method in the above-described mounting techniqueDB 328 shown in FIG. 38 will be described.

Since there are an extremely large number of parameters for the printingconditions of the cream solder, it is difficult to select an optimalcondition and realize it. Conventionally, on the manufacturer side, newstart-up, product type change, troubleshooting, and improvement inquality or productivity on the user side are individually coped with byan unspecified engineer. Therefore, naturally, for each customer, thevariation occurs in the printing condition, which is set and executed ateach occasion, even for the same customer, so that the productivity orthe quality is hardly stabilized.

In this example, as the cream solder information, a soldercharacteristic DB 328 a relating to solder characteristics of a creamsolder as shown in FIG. 70 and a printing condition DB 328 b relating toresult data for printing conditions as shown in FIG. 71 are adopted.Therefore, the service providing device 2 provides, for the servicereceiving device 1, a retrieval service allowing the retrieval of thesolder characteristic data from the solder characteristic DB 328 a shownin FIG. 74 and the retrieval of the printing condition data from theprinting condition DB 328 b shown in FIG. 71, and a response service foraccepting and responding to a requirement or an inquiry for newstart-up, product type change, troubleshooting, and improvement inquality or productivity. As a result, for the start-up, the product typechange, and the troubleshooting of the cream solder print, the user sidecan obtain adequate cream solder information or printing conditionscorresponding to the problem at each occasion without any difficulty soas to cope with it within a short term or a short period of time.Moreover, if desired, the individual improvement for the quality or theproductivity is requested to a service person so as to upgrade theversion.

Along with it, on the service providing device 2 side, the data relatingto the cream solder print is input by a service person himself/herselfon the service providing device 2 side or/and the result data relatingto the cream solder print on the user side is requested to be input tothe service receiving device 1 so as to be collected and accumulated.While creating printing condition DBs 328 b 1, 328 b 2, . . .corresponding to each type of board or each combination of a type ofboard and the number of products to be produced shown in FIG. 71, aresponse operation such as monitoring, analysis, evaluation,countermeasures, and improvement of a printing condition, or a printingstate or status is performed by an engineer so as to be reflected intothe above-described printing condition DBs 328 b 1, 328 b 2,. . . . As aresult, the service person side collectively manages the printingconditions selected and executed by the user side or the service personside so that the printing conditions are widely treated to besystematized as common data, regardless of the engineer. Then, thelatest and reliable printing condition without any variation is providedfor the user side so as to improve and stabilize the quality and theproductivity of the cream solder print. Moreover, the requestedcountermeasures or service for improvement can be more accuratelyperformed based on the broad result data or the printing condition orstatus. Specifically, the result of evaluation can be converged to theprinting conditions DBs 328 b 1, 328 b 2, . . . as the needs while beingat that place so as to contribute to the development of new functions.Simultaneously, the following business is realized; after a problem isfound by spontaneous monitoring, analysis, and evaluation by a programor an engineer even without any request of the user, the upgradedtechnique or information is proposed from the service person side so asto provide the countermeasures against or the improvement over theproblem. The response as described above is performed on necessary itemsor on all items for each customer to create and accumulate the dataexclusively for each customer so as to individually provide a service.

Furthermore, as a result of such a response operation, in the serviceproviding device 2, in the case where the data or a state or a statue,which is newly input and registered, is judged adequate or stable, thedata is transferred to basic DBs 328 c 1, 328 c 2, . . . for each boardor for each combination of a board and the number of products to beproduced so as to update or upgrade the data. At the same time, thesebasic DBs 328 c 1, 328 c 2, . . . are used for the retrieval from theservice receiving device 1 so as to be browsed and utilized at any time.As a result, only the data judged as adequate or stable is used by theuser side while the latest result data input from the user side isreflected into the contents of a service at the early stage. Therefore,inadequate result data can be prevented from being widely used. However,since it is desirable to make the data adequate and stable with a widerange of the result at the early stage even if the data is new data, itis also meaningful to provide new data. In this case, it is suitable tomention that it is new data. As described above, since new data can beeffectively used regardless of its disclosure, the user is prompted toinput the data even if it is new data.

Since the service as described above becomes more effective as it isdeveloped in a wider network, the service is desired to be globalized.However, there will be no difference from the case described above inthat only a contractant can receive a service under the control of theID management and that the security is intended to be achieved byproviding a difference in the contents of a service to be receiveddepending on the contract level. However, a condition under whichservice is provided is not limited thereto.

Moreover, it is suitable to similarly perform a data processing forother factors such as an adhesion condition or a reflow condition so asto provide a service. However, the specific description thereof isherein omitted.

The solder characteristic DB 328 a shown in FIG. 70 has been completedon the service person side as standard data. Each time new data isadded, the new data is accumulated while being additionally registeredor updated so that the solder characteristic DB is used for theretrieval from the user side. Examples of information items to betreated include, as shown in the drawing, remarks such as a manufacturerof a cream solder, a product number of a cream solder, a particle size(MAX/MIN) and a viscosity of a cream solder, and a mean particle size ofa cream solder, a flux type, a flux content, a thixotropic ratio, achlorine content, a corresponding pitch, an alloy composition, and asolder item. Herein, the thixotropic ratio is a ratio of a change inviscosity when a stress is applied to a viscous material, and representsthe degree of the nature of increasing the fluidity by agitation and ofrestoring its original state when it is left at rest. The correspondingpitch is a corresponding pitch of a cream solder of each product numberrecommended by the manufacturer, that is, a pitch between leads or apitch between electrodes such as a QFP electronic component to besoldered. The alloy composition represents an alloy composition whichcauses a variation in characteristics of a cream solder depending on itspresence/absence. A representative example thereof is thepresence/absence of lead. The solder item is to fill in a characteristicof a cream solder and is a specification recommended by the manufacturerin accordance with the product number, such as for high-speed print, themaximum amount of shipping, or the compliance to lead-free. The fluxtype is an adopted type of flux, affecting the thixotropic ratio. Thethixotropic ratio is related to a kinetic viscosity of a solder which isbeing printed. Generally, when the content of the flux is large, aviscosity of a cream solder is lowered.

The printing condition DBs 328 b 1, 328 b 2, . . . shown in FIG. 71 arecreated and accumulated based on the result data input by the user side.Examples of the data items to be treated include, as shown in thedrawing, a manufacturer of a solder, a product number of a cream solder,printing conditions such as a printing speed, a squeegee type, aprinting pressure (F/R) plate detaching operation, a plate detachingdistance, a plate detaching speed, a customer name, a screen mask, athickness of a screen mask, a screen gap, a supporting method, atemperature in the facility, a cleaning mode, and the frequency ofcleaning, mask scrape, 0.5QFP, 0.4QFP, 0.3QFP, others, input date,person in charge, and remarks.

Herein, the squeegee type is a type of squeegee and a moving speed.There are different types such as urethane, metal, and resin, and thereare different moving speeds such as high speed and low speed. Theprinting pressure is a pressure applied to the screen mask when thesqueegee moves, and is input twice for a forward squeegee F and a rearsqueegee R. The plate detaching operation is a form of operation ofdetaching a plate, and has different forms such as constant speedsystem, multi-stage system, and elevation system. For the platedetaching distance and the plate detaching speed, one condition can befilled in in the case of constant speed system, whereas up to tenconditions can be filled in in the case of multi-stage or elevationsystem. For the customer name, when a screen mask or the like, which isdifferent from that of a customer using a printer provided by a serviceperson, is adopted, the customer name is accumulated as data so as torecognize the customer. Thus, in the case where a customer name isunknown, the user side is requested to input it. For the screen, a modelnumber, a fabrication method, the minimum pattern, and the like arefilled in as much as possible. The screen gap is a gap between thescreen mask in printing and a board on which a cream solder is printedthrough it. Normally, the printing is effected while a board is slightlylifting the screen mask, i.e., in a so-called minus gap state where bothsides interfere with each other. The supporting method is a supportingform of a board, and has different forms such as a support pin, asupport plate, and a suction block. For the cleaning mode, a combinationof dry cleaning D and wet cleaning W for one cleaning so as to carry outthe cleaning is filled in. There are different combinations of D-D, W-D,W-W, D-D-D, W-W-W-D, W-W-D-D, and W-D-D-D. The frequency of cleaning isthe frequency of cleaning for the number of printed boards. The maskscrape is a state of scraping the screen mask with the squeegee. Theinsufficient scrape, the presence of a successive remaining part in amovement direction of the squeegee after scraping, or the distributionof remaining parts after scrape in a dotted manner is filled in asgood/bad scrape with ∘ or ×. However, since the cause differs dependingon a state of poor scrape such as an insufficient printing pressure, anoffset, clattering and a flaw, it is suitable to concretely fill in as asentence, a drawing, or a picture. For 0.5QFP, 0.4QFP and 0.3QFP, inaddition to indication of a pitch between leads of a QFP electroniccomponent with a numerical value in mm, poor printing such as bridge dueto excessive printing of a cream solder to a minute portion or thinningdue to insufficient printing, slightly poor or good is filled in with ×,Δ, or ∘. However, the fill-in can be entered without being limited tothe above-described 0.5 QPF, 0.4 QPF, and 0.3 QPF. Poor, slightly good,or good is similarly filled in using the remarks, depending on thepresence/absence of effects or the degree of effects of cream solderdragging or the degree of insufficient printing which is likely to occurin printing on the entire wide face of a package; in the cream solderdragging, after a squeegee after printing is once detached from a screenwhile a cream solder adhered onto an edge hangs down, the adhered creamsolder is pressed to flow in the rear of the squeegee to be dragged whenthe squeegee gets in contact with the screen again for printing, so thatthe cream solder remains at various positions on the screen to adverselyaffect the result of the remaining printing. In “others,” data on theuser side, which is input upon a request of the service person side asneeded or without any request, is filled in. For example, the type ofboard, the number of produced boards, or the like may be filled in thispart. The input date is the date when the data is input, the person incharge is a person who has input. The remarks is remarks data other thanthe items in “others” described above and serves as management of inputdata by filling in each item.

The operation of retrieving the solder characteristic data and theoperation of inputting and registering the adopted data of the soldercharacteristics or the printing conditions are performed, for example,by calling up a website of a cream printing information service on theWEB screen 25 of the service receiving device 1 under the control of theID management, in accordance with a selecting operation on a menu screenas shown in FIG. 72. On the illustrated menu screen, a soldercharacteristic data entry button 1001, a printing condition data entrybutton 1002, a retrieval button 1003, and a registration button 1004 aredisplayed. Through the selecting operation of these buttons, the soldercharacteristic DB 328 a in FIG. 70 or the printing condition DB 328 bshown in FIG. 71 on the service providing device 2 side becomesaccessible.

In each characteristic item of the solder characteristic DB 328 a shownin FIG. 70, the printing condition is almost determined by a solderproduct number, or a particle size or a viscosity. The product number ispositioned at the head of various characteristic items that follow. Inretrieval of these items, the first priority is given thereto. In thecase where the product number is unknown or a desired soldermanufacturer or solder product number cannot be retrieved, a highaccuracy can be still obtained even by retrieving the particle sizeand/or the viscosity. Therefore, the priority is given to the solderproduct number as an essential so that the effective retrieval isperformed. However, in the case where the solder manufacturer and thesolder product number are unknown, the priority is given to the particlesize and/or the viscosity as the second essential(s) to retrieve thesolder product number so that other solder characteristic data can besuccessively retrieved as the lower-order data to these items from themon. However, it is apparent that the retrieval can be performed with anyother item such as the corresponding pitch.

A procedure of the operation of retrieval of this example will bespecifically described based on a flow chart shown in FIG. 73. Forsimplification of description, the operation of retrieving from allitems is omitted. Giving the first priority to the solder productnumber, only the operation of performing the retrieval again with theparticle size and the viscosity if the retrieval is unsuccessful will bedescribed. The retrieval is started with the operation of selecting theretrieval button 1003 on the WEB screen 25, thereby displaying all itemsbelow the solder manufacturer shown in FIG. 70 at a time on the WEBscreen 25 (S1000). As a result, necessary selection items become obviousat a glance. For this purpose, however, it is necessary to clarify theorder of priority of the above-described retrieval. To that end, theguidance is displayed by at least one of the size of letters of theitem, the order of arrangement, the numbering, and the like. Suchguidance can be performed by guidance with letters or by displaying theitems one by one from the first priority and displaying the item on thenext order in the case where the item of the first priority is unknownto perform an updating operation.

The retrieval for the lower-order solder characteristic item is startedto be performed on the solder characteristic DB 328 a by inputting thesolder number. Then, the retrieved items are displayed on the screen forthe targeted items, so that the selection is made for determination(S1001). When it is judged that the retrieval is ended or the input ismade (S1002), the result of determination by the retrieval is output,for example, on a document from a printer (S1008), thereby ending theretrieval.

In the case where the number of hits is enormous, for example, 100 ormore as the result of retrieval with the particle size or the viscosity,it is possible to further narrow down the retrieval while specifyinganother item.

On the other hand, in the case where the solder product number isunknown or the expected retrieval cannot be performed even by inputtingthe solder product number, the retrieval of the solder product number isfirst performed with the particle size and/or the viscosity on thesolder characteristic information DB 328 a by inputting the particlesize and/or the viscosity corresponding to the second order of priority(S1003). When the result of this retrieval is output on the WEB screen25 (S1004), the closest solder product number is selected to bedetermined (S1005). Subsequently, the retrieval for soldercharacteristics of the lower order than the solder product number, theparticle size, and the viscosity is performed. When the number of hitsis enormous, the retrieval is narrowed down for a necessary number oftimes while specifying another item (S1006). When it is judged that theretrieval is ended or the input is made (S1007), the result ofdetermination by the retrieval is output to, for example, a printer orthe like (S1008) to end the retrieval.

A technique program corresponding to the result of retrieval can bedownloaded from the service providing device so as to be input to aprinter.

Next, in accordance with a flow chart shown in FIG. 74, the case where aservice such as the creation of the printing condition DB 328 b 1, 328 b2, . . . and the basic DB 328 c 1, 328 c 2, . . . by data input from theuser side, monitoring, evaluation, countermeasures, and improvement of aprinting state is performed on the service person side will bedescribed.

In the service providing device 2, for example, an inquiry or a requestfor the result data, data of a printing state or status, start-up time,a trouble, and improvement is momentarily input and registered from theglobally spread users of various zones. Each time a registrationoperation of these inputs is received (S1011), it is judged if it is newdata (for example, data input for a new solder product number, board, orthe like) or not (S1012). If it is not new data, the processing returns(S1011) without any further process. If it is new data, the new data isadditionally registered or updated to be registered on the correspondingprinting condition DB 328 b 1, . . . (S1013). Then, the printingcondition DB 328 b 1 . . . and the basic DB 328 c 1, . . . , in whichthe adequated or stabilized data in the printing condition DB is movedto be accumulated, are monitored automatically, by an engineer, or byboth of them in accordance with a program so as to analyze and evaluatethe relation between the printing condition and the printing state orstatus (S1014). Among the new data registered on the printing conditionDB 328 b 1, . . . , the data which is judged as adequate or/and stable(S1015) as a result of analysis and evaluation is moved to andregistered on the basic DB 328 c 1, . . . because the degree ofnecessity of changing the data is low (S1016) so that the data isbrowsed or used from the user side. For the data at the level having thenecessity of changing the data, the data is on standby as it is or onstandby after a request of changing the data is issued to the user sideto prompt the data setting again (S1017). Next, in the case where arequest is issued from the user side (S1018) or a problem isspontaneously found in the above-described monitoring, analysis andevaluation, the problem is solved automatically or by the engineer inaccordance with a program (S1019). When the problem is solved, theresolution of the problem is proposed to the user who has issued therequest while it is reflected into the printing condition DB 328 b 1, .. . or the basic DB 328 c 1, . . . .

Herein, at the above S1014, even if the new data overlaps the alreadyregistered one having the same solder product number, board, particlesize, viscosity, or the like, it is desirable to distinctively registerthe new data separately from the already registered one. In this case,for example, the distinction may be made by an additional number fordistinguishing the solder product number. In this manner, variouspatterns of the printing condition data can be accumulated even for thesame board or solder product number as being adequate for a condition ateach occasion. From the thus accumulated data, it is possible to selectthe optimal one based on the result of evaluation.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, according to the component mounting apparatus, theservice providing device, and the servicing method of the presentinvention, even if a trouble occurs in a device on the customer side,the grasp of the contents of the trouble, an operation for recoveringthe trouble, an instruction of an operation for trouble recovery, theupdate or adjustment of a software or parameter setting for troublerecovery can be performed to solve the trouble of the component mountingapparatus on the customer side without taking long time and cost byusing the Internet line which is in widespread use. Since any requiredproblem such as start-up, type change, or improvement in quality orproductivity can be coped with, it is particularly effective in the casewhere the customer is remotely located from the service person.

Moreover, even in the case where no trouble occurs, an operating statusof the component mounting apparatus on the customer side is periodicallychecked so as to carry out the maintenance by an operator on thecustomer side or a service person on the service person side beforeoccurrence of any trouble. Therefore, it is suitable to increase theoperation rate of the component mounting apparatus possessed on thecustomer side. Furthermore, effectuation of even at least one suchcustomer service is effective.

Moreover, since the user side can obtain adequate cream solderinformation or printing condition responding to a problem at eachoccasion from the service person side without any difficulty, forstart-up, type change, and troubleshooting in the cream solder printing,it is useful for achieving an accurate response in a short term or ashort period of time. Furthermore, if desired, it is suitable to requestthe individual improvement of the quality or the productivity to theservice person so as to upgrade the version.

1. A service providing method for providing mounting technique dataincluding one of cream solder information and adhesive informationnecessary for allowing one of a cream solder printing apparatus and anadhesive applicator to perform a mount production, from a serviceprovider provided at a supplier side or a serviceperson side of a creamsolder printer for printing cream solder on a circuit board for mountinga component thereon, or an adhesive applicator for applying an adhesivefor adhering components onto the circuit board, to a service receiverprovided at a user side for mount production using the cream solderprinter or the adhesive applicator, via a communication system includingthe Internet, the method comprising: receiving and collecting, by theservice provider, mounting technique data having results of fabricationof non-defective products input by the service receiver via thecommunication system; accumulating, by the service provider, the inputmounting technique data for each type of component, cream solder,adhesive, or circuit board in a mounting technique database, andderiving the mounting technique data by the service receiver, whereinthe service provider comprises a printing condition database for storingthe printing condition of the cream solder within the mounting techniquedatabase, wherein the service provider derives one of cream soldercharacteristic information and printing condition information from theprinting condition database in response to a request from the servicereceiver during the accumulating of input mounting technique data, andwherein the cream solder characteristic information includes a productnumber, a particle size, and a viscosity; and retrieving, by the serviceprovider, the product number, and if the retrieving fails, retrievingthe particle size or the viscosity, so as to obtain cream soldercharacteristic information close to the desired product number in theretrieved cream solder characteristic information as a result of theretrieving during the deriving of a component library.